When "Auntie" finally croaked, the twins were around 15 years old. They were going to make a run for it after the funeral, but it turned out that they were "willed" to Edith and her husband (the new "Sir") along with all the other earthly possessions. They were going nowhere. Their new owner never let the girls out of their sight, even sleeping in the same room with them. Eventually, the girls were taken from the circus shows, and brought into vaudeville.

It was Harry Houdini who taught the girls to use their mind power to separate themselves emotionally, giving each of them an individuality. They had to be together physically, but could block the other out totally.