My cable is like your first picture.
Both keys face the same direction.

Just wondering if you've ever programmed any chips with that EPIC before?
Does the problem only happen with that adapter?
Or has it never worked on anything.

Do you have an 18-pin PIC that you can try to program in the EPIC's ON-Board socket?
Might eliminate questions about the adapter if it won't program an 18-pin.

Have you gone through the EPIC troubleshooting guide ...
http://www.melabs.com/support/epicfixs.htm
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