Julius Stettenheim

“ A few hours later the police commissioner was sitting at his desk, deeply engrossed in work, when Stuppke entered, and announced:
"The Mayor of S——."
"Again!" the commissioner exclaimed impatiently.
"It's a different one this time."
"A different one!" the commissioner cried, his eyes opening wide. He stared at Stuppke as if to make sure he was in his right senses.
"Perhaps S—— has two mayors, like Berlin. S——is becoming a metropolis."
"That will do," shouted the commissioner, who was getting very nervous. "Show him in."
The mayor of S——, Kramer, the general-store-keeper, stepped in. ”

“ You got into the clutches of regular confidence men. You don't have to stay in Berlin another hour." And the police commissioner laughed a full-throated laugh, while the unhappy mayor sat there staring into space in desperation.
"Of course not. Confidence men are sly fellows. They even keep us guessing." ”

“ There were several other gentlemen at our table, who turned out to have come from the same place as the first one. They all played a wonderful game. It really wasn't a game. It was a trick. The player would hold the Jack of Spades in his left hand and two other cards in his right hand. ”