El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-24
CBy Peter ROsegger)

II INGl-ZING!
Quickly and noiseIessly two
cyclists passed by the old road
mender. who stood Supplied with open
mouth. not having heard their coming
and even more so because he saw that
the one was the doctor from Randau
and the other, who rode close behind
him, was the minister in black gown
and surplice Both were already far
away now and you could see only the
light of their lanterns.
Damn~those bicyclists." said the
old roadmender as he reverently raised
his cap a person can't even get time
TO kneel down, -when he sees the par
son passing with the good God. 1 won
der where they could be going so
late2"
Down to the Rinntal" said a peas
ant who was walking by, carrying a
scythe- They are going down 10 old
POeschelhuber."
'FEhI What do YOU saw" asked the
rOadmender, all attention "POeschel-
huber! So he is dead What did he
eNfrom2"
him too hard in the head with a ham
mer. am just going for the gen
darmes"
The peasant walked on while the
old roadmender stood staring at his
pile Of crushed stone He shook his
head deprecattngly. Murder was a
bad thing, but if anyone had deserved
to be knocked in the head, it was sure
" old Poeschelhuber.
OLD Poeschelhuber was 6S years old
and unmarried, because he loved wom-
en- too much to tie himself to one. For
years his principal effort had been to
hoard up money, but there were plenty
Of holes in his money bags. Strange
things were happening on his farm
where the servants all hated the old
hberdEe and thought more of their
own profits than OF the interests OF
their master and when he complained
OF being robbed everybody only
laughed al him.
The old farmer had no other rela-
uFeS but nephew, a quarryman, who
made an honest, If meager living by
hard work Why should he care. then.
TO leave any money to him?
Such was the man whom somebody
mad now knocked in the head with a
hammer. The hammer that had been
found near him was Of the kind that
quarrymen use.
In spite Of their haste the doctor
and priest arrived too late After hav-
ing been struck down Poeschelhuber
had lived for about two hours, lying
In the haystack, where he had been
found.
The gendarmes found the nephew at
home calmly eating an omelette and
drinking great gulps Of brandy. for
nothing goes better with omelettes
IMAM DLdlUl. his req lace was wear
ing an expression Of great satisfac-
ton.
You don't mean to say that you
have come for me" ne said to the gen
darmes
They asked him If he was the quar-
ryman Pastel.
Certainly" he said.
Then come along with US and be
quick about IT"
Pastel grinned and said. 'T have a
suspicion that this has something to
do with my uncle"
The same night an inquest took place
on the POeschelhuber farm When
Pastel was shown the hammer and
asked if he knew it. he replied;
1T is mine"
1T is covered with blood" said the
judge.
of course IT is said Pastel. calmly.
since / used it TO kin the old man"
Judges are really funny creatures
When the accused denies everything
they are dissatisfied. and when he
cOnfessor too quickly, they are not con-
tent either
What revolving impudence." growl-
ed the judge, for he felt angry that he
was being robbed Of a chance to prove
himself smart in solving a mysterious
crime
Are you madZ' he roared. and 1t is
to say whether he derived
this opinion from the murder or the