Bergrichters Erdenwallen

In a remote Alpine hamlet, the Amareller farm becomes the center of frantic whispering after a hefty sum—five hundred gulden earmarked for cattle sales—vanishes from a securely locked chest. Servaz Amareller, a wiry farmer, swears he counted the money just yesterday and hidden the key in the oven, yet the cash is gone and no forced entry is visible. Neighbors gather, trading theories over bitter schnapps, accusing nothing more than one of the household servants or perhaps the farm’s notoriously sharp‑tongued dog that inexplicably stayed silent that night.

The local gendarme arrives, his presence a mix of authority and curiosity, and begins a meticulous record of the events. Soon the district judge, a tall figure with piercing eyes, joins the scene, demanding answers and even probing the gender of the farm dog in a puzzling opening question. As the investigators sift through testimonies, the community’s unease deepens, leaving everyone wondering whether the thief is a trusted hand, a clever animal, or something more concealed within the household walls.