(Ebook) Novum Millennium: Studies on Byzantine

History and Culture Dedicated to Paul Speck, 19

December 1999 by Claudia Sode, Sarolta Takács
(eds.) ISBN 9780754604242, 0754604241install
download
https://ebooknice.com/product/novum-millennium-studies-on-
byzantine-history-and-culture-dedicated-to-paul-
speck-19-december-1999-10841508

Download more ebook instantly today at https://ebooknice.com

 Instant digital products (PDF, ePub, MOBI) ready for you
Download now and discover formats that fit your needs...

Start reading on any device today!

(Ebook) Biota Grow 2C gather 2C cook by Loucas, Jason; Viles, James ISBN
9781459699816, 9781743365571, 9781925268492, 1459699815, 1743365578, 1925268497

https://ebooknice.com/product/biota-grow-2c-gather-2c-cook-6661374

ebooknice.com

(Ebook) Matematik 5000+ Kurs 2c Lärobok by Lena Alfredsson, Hans Heikne, Sanna
Bodemyr ISBN 9789127456600, 9127456609

https://ebooknice.com/product/matematik-5000-kurs-2c-larobok-23848312

ebooknice.com

(Ebook) SAT II Success MATH 1C and 2C 2002 (Peterson's SAT II Success) by Peterson's
ISBN 9780768906677, 0768906679

https://ebooknice.com/product/sat-ii-success-math-1c-and-2c-2002-peterson-s-sat-
ii-success-1722018

ebooknice.com

(Ebook) Studies in Byzantine Sigillography 9 by Jean-Claude Cheynet, Claudia Sode

ISBN 9783598779275, 3598779275

https://ebooknice.com/product/studies-in-byzantine-sigillography-9-5600594

ebooknice.com
(Ebook) Cambridge IGCSE and O Level History Workbook 2C - Depth Study: the United
States, 1919-41 2nd Edition by Benjamin Harrison ISBN 9781398375147, 9781398375048,
1398375144, 1398375047

https://ebooknice.com/product/cambridge-igcse-and-o-level-history-
workbook-2c-depth-study-the-united-states-1919-41-2nd-edition-53538044

ebooknice.com

(Ebook) Studies in Byzantine Sigillography: Vol. 10 by Jean-Claude Cheynet, Jean-

claude Cheynet, Claudia Sode ISBN 9783110227048, 3110227045

https://ebooknice.com/product/studies-in-byzantine-sigillography-vol-10-4949268

ebooknice.com

(Ebook) Master SAT II Math 1c and 2c 4th ed (Arco Master the SAT Subject Test: Math
Levels 1 & 2) by Arco ISBN 9780768923049, 0768923042

https://ebooknice.com/product/master-sat-ii-math-1c-and-2c-4th-ed-arco-master-
the-sat-subject-test-math-levels-1-2-2326094

ebooknice.com

(Ebook) Theatre History Studies 2009, Volume 29 by Rhona Justice-Malloy ISBN

9780817355548, 0817355545

https://ebooknice.com/product/theatre-history-studies-2009-volume-29-2523366

ebooknice.com

(Ebook) Vagabond, Vol. 29 (29) by Inoue, Takehiko ISBN 9781421531489, 1421531488

https://ebooknice.com/product/vagabond-vol-29-29-37511002

ebooknice.com
 Novum
Millennium
 Paul Speck in Summer 1999
(Photo by Wolfgang Ette rich)
 Novum
Millennium
STUDIES ON
BYZANTINE HISTORY AND CULTURE

DEDICATED TO PAUL SPECK

19 December 1999

Claudia Sode
Sarolta Takdcs
First published 2001 by Ashgate Publishing

Published 2016 by Routledge

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon 0X 14 4RN
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA

Routledge is an imprint o f the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

Copyright © Claudia Sode and Sarolta Takacs 2001.

The editors have asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be
identified as the editors of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form
or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publishers.

Notice:
Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for
identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

B r itish L ib r a r y C a ta lo g u in g -in -P u b lic a tio n D a ta

Novum Millennium: Studies on Byzantine history and culture dedicated to Paul Speck
I. Byzantine Empire — Civilization. 2. Byzantine Empire — History. I. Sode, Claudia.
II. Takacs, Sarolta.
949.5

U S L ib r a r y o f C o n g r e s s C a ta lo g in g -in -P u b lic a tio n D a ta

The Library of Congress Control Number is pre-assigned as: 00-111420.

ISBN 13: 978-0-7546-0424-2 (hbk)

 C ontents

Preface ............................................................................................................................. ix

Bibliography of Publications by Paul S p e ck ............................................................ xi

General Introduction
Byzantium after 2000: Post-Millennial, but not Post-M odern?..............................1
John Haldon

Alexander der Große am Bosporus.............................................................................13

Albrecht Berger

Philippos ô OTpaTqAaTqc; t o û ßaoiAiKOu ’OyiKÎou: Anmerkungen zur

Frühgeschichte des Thema Opsikion.......................................................................... 21
Wolfram Brandes

Melania ........................................................................................................................... 41
t William Brashear

Oracles and Earthquakes: A Note on the Theodosian S ib yl................................ 45

Alan Cameron

Les ducs d’Antioche sous Michel IV et Constantin I X .........................................53

Jean-Claude Cheynet

Der Kaiser, sein Bild und dessen Interpret ............................................................. 65

Carolina Cupane

Perils of the Deep .......................................................................................................... 81

George T. Dennis

Bitter Brine and Sweet Fresh Water: The Anatomy of a Metaphor in Psellos . . . 89
John Duffy

Das Theodosius-Missorium von 388: Anmerkungen zur politischen

Ikonographie in der Spätantike...................................................................................97
Arne Effenberger

La pomme de Théodose II et sa réplique arm énienne.........................................109

Michel van Esbroeck
vi Contents

Theodora and Evita: Two Women in Power......................................................... 113

Clive Foss

Three Authors in Search of a Reader: An Approach to the Analysis

of Direct Discourse in Procopius, Agathias and Theophylact Simocatta.........123
Joseph D. Frendo

Philippikos and the Greens .....................................................................................137

Judith Herrin

Es war die Nachtigall: Zum Sprecherinnenwechsel in einer

byzantinischen Totenklage........................................................................................ 147
Wolfram Hörandner

The Venetian Quarter of Constantinople from 1082 to 1261:

Topographical Considerations.................................................................................. 153
David Jacoby

Icon Veneration: Significance of the Restoration of Orthodoxy?..................... 171

Patricia Karlin-Hayter

Parerga zur Ikonographie des Josua-Rotulus und der illuminierten

byzantinischen Oktateuche: I. Die “Grabstele”von J e r ic h o .............................. 185
Otto Kresten

“Falsata Graecorum more”?: Die griechische Version der Briefe

Papst Hadrians I. in den Akten des VII. Ökumenischen K onzils..................... 213
Erich Lamberz

John III Ducas Vatatzes and the Venetians: The Episode of his
Anti-Venetian Cretan Campaigns, 1230 and 1234...............................................231
John S. Langdon

Bonifatios von Tarsos: Ein Verwandter der bekehrten Mimen ....................... 251
Claudia Ludwig

Du consul à l’empereur: Les sceaux d’Héraclius.................................................. 257

Cécile Morrisson

Le monastère de la Sainte Trinité à Boradion sur le B osp h ore....................... 267

t Nicolas Oikonomides

Nebenterminologie, Topoi, Loci similes und Quellen in einigen

Stellen der Chronike diegesis von Niketas Choniates.......................................... 271
Anna Pontani
 Paul Speck vii

Palladius, Lausus and the Historia Lausiaca ........................................................279

Claudia Rapp

Political Dimensions of Manuel II Palaiologos’ 1392 Marriage

and Coronation: Some New Evidence.....................................................................291
Stephen W. Reinert

Zu den diplomatischen Beziehungen zwischen Byzanz und dem Kalifat

in der Zeit der syrischen Dynastie (717-802)........................................................305
Ilse Rochow

Those “Whose Writings were Exchanged” : John of Damascus,

George Choeroboscus and John ‘Arklas’ according to the Prooimion
of Eustathius’s Exegesis in Canonem Iambic um de Pentecoste..........................327
Silvia Ronchey

Robert de Clari und Konstantinopel.......................................................................337

Peter Schreiner

‘Dog-Knights’ and ‘Elulargency’: Greek Ghost-Words in Medieval

Arabic Sources.............................................................................................................. 357
Nikolaj Serikoff

Sigillography in the Service of History: New L ig h t............................................. 369

Irfan Shahid

Diplomatie und Propaganda im 9. Jahrhundert: Die Gesandtschaft

des al-Ghazal nach Konstantinopel.......................................................................... 379
Juan Signes Codoner

Islamische und byzantinische Geschichtsschreibung .......................................... 393

Gotthard Strohmaier

Das Wort ßapoa|jexouMVO<; im Opsarologos ......................................................... 401

Dimitri Theodoridis

Faustus “of Byzantium”, Procopius, and the Armenian History

(Jacoby, FGrHist 679, 3 - 4 ) ......................................................................................... 405
Giusto Traina

The Christianization of Sexual Slander: Some Preliminary Observations . . . 415

Martha P. Vinson
viii Contents

Exempla aus der griechischen Geschichte in Byzanz.......................................... 425

Eva de Vries-van der Velden

The Greek and Arabic Sources on the Eight Day Captivity of the
Emperor Romanos IV in the Camp of the Sultan Alp Arslan after
the Battle of M antzikert........................................................................................... 439
Speros Vryonis, Jr.
 Preface

There have been many journeys across the Atlantic to make this volume a reality. This
book presents a collection of articles on Byzantine history and culture written by
friends and students of Paul Speck. Its aim is to impart a look at the different methods
and new approaches to this field of study and maybe even give a sense where future
studies should, or ought to lead new generations of scholars. This volume contains
studies in English, German, and French on art, historiography, linguistics, literature,
theology, topography, and sigillography. Several articles deal with Byzantium’s rela­
tionship to its eastern and western neighbors. They demonstrate how much Byzantium
was the center of the Late Antique and medieval world. The editors would like to
acknowledge the generous support they received in form of initial computer help from
Richard Stadtherr as well as financial aid from Harvard University’s Faculty Aide Pro­
gram and the Loeb Fund. Judson Herrman, Berislav Marusic, and especially Reuben
Kantor assisted us greatly in the last stretch of production. We extend our thanks to
Dumbarton Oaks, which supplied the sigillographie fonts, and Ashgate’s John Smed-
ley for his continuing and reassuring interest in this volume. We are very sorry to
report that two authors, William Brashear and Nicolas Oikonomides, whom Paul
Speck held in high esteem, have since died. Since a “Festschrift” inspired by a mile­
stone birthday is not in the spirit of Paul Speck, this volume is, nonetheless, dedicated
to him with the title: Novum Millennium for his last birthday in the 20th Century,
19.12.1999.

Claudia Sode, Jena and Berlin

Sarolta A. Takâcs, Cambridge, Massachusettes
C\
~
Taylor & Francis
Taylor & Francis Group
http://taylorandfrancis.com
 Bibliography o f Publications by Paul Speck

Monographs
1. Theodoros Studites, Jamben auf verschiedene Gegenstände, Einleitung, kriti­
scher Text, Übersetzung und Kommentar besorgt von P. Speck (Supplementa
Byzantina 1), Berlin 1968.
2. Die Kaiserliche Universität von Konstantinopel. Präzisierungen zur Frage des
höheren Schulwesens in Byzanz im 9. und 10. Jahrhundert (Byzantinisches
Archiv 14), München 1974.
3. Kaiser Konstantin VI. Die Legitimation einer fremden und der Versuch einer
eigenen Herrschaft. Quellenkritische Darstellung von 25 Jahren byzantinischer
Geschichte nach dem ersten Ikonoklasmus, Band I: Untersuchung, Band II:
Anmerkungen und Register, München 1978.
4. (in Zusammenarbeit mit Studenten des Münchener Instituts) Zufälliges zum Bel­
lum Avaricum des Georgios Pisides (Mise. Byz. Monac. 24), München 1980.
5. Artabasdos, der rechtgläubige Vorkämpfer der göttlichen Lehren. Untersuchun­
gen zur Revolte des Artabasdos und ihrer Darstellung in der byzantinischen Hi­
storiographie (rioiKiÄa BuCgvtivc ! 2), Bonn 1981.
6. Byzantinische Bleisiegel in Berlin (West) unter Mitarbeit von I. Aslanis, A.
Dimitriu, D. Lindow, S. Sahpekidou und R. Tscharke sowie teilweise nach
Vorarbeiten von V. Eibern, H.-G. Severin und E. Krengel und mit besonderer
Unterstützung durch J. W. Nesbitt (nondÄa Bu(avTiva 5), Bonn 1986.
7. Das geteilte Dossier. Beobachtungen zu den Nachrichten über die Regierung
des Kaisers Herakleios und die seiner Söhne bei Theophanes und Nikephoros
(rioiKiÄa Bu£avTiva 9), Bonn 1988.

8. Ich bin’s nicht, Kaiser Konstantin ist es gewesen. Die Legenden vom Einfluß des
Teufels, des Juden und des Moslem auf den Ikonoklasmus (rioiKiÄa Bu£avTiva
10), Bonn 1990.
9. (Claudia Sode, mit Unterstützung durch ...) Byzantinische Bleisiegel in Berlin
II (noiKiÄc! Bu^avTivc! 14), Bonn 1997.
10. Die Interpolationen in den Akten des Konzils von 787 und die Libri Carolini
(rioikIäg Bu£avTiva 16), Bonn 1998.

Articles and reviews

11. Zu Johannes Tzetzes, Allegorien aus der Verschronik (ed. H. Hunger, Jahrb.
Österr. Byz. Gesell. 4 [1955] 13-49), Rhein. Mus., N.F. 102 (1959) 95f.
12. Rezension von A. Garzya, La tradizione manoscritta degli epigrammi di S.
Teodoro Studita, Boll. Bad. Gr. Grottaferr., N.S. 11 (1957) 139-156, und von
xii Bibliography

Theodori Studitae epigrammata rec. A. Garzya, ’ErreT. ‘ETcup. Bu(. IrrouB. 28

(1958) 11-64, Byz. Zeitschr. 52 (1959) 114-117.
13. Rezension von Ch. G. Patrineles, ''EÂAqvçc; KooSiKoypàcpoi tgôv xpovoov tqc;
GvayçwqoEcoc;, ’ErreT. toû Meogigovikoij ’Apyeiou 8-9 (1958-1959) (ersch.
1961) 63-124, Byz. Zeitschr. 55 (1962) 320-324.
14. Rezension von L.-O. Sjöberg, Stephanites und Ichnelates. Überlieferungs­
geschichte und Text (Übers, von H.-G. Richert) (Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis,
Studia Graeca Upsaliensia 2), Stockholm — Göteborg — Uppsala 1962, Byz.
Zeitschr. 56(1963) 101-105.
15. Humanistenhandschriften und frühe Drucke der Epigramme des Theodoros Stu-
dites, Helikon 3 (1963) 41-110.
16. Rezension von H. Menge, Repetitorium der griechischen Syntax. Neunte
verbesserte Auflage im Zusammenwirken mit U. Gebhardt besorgt von A.
Thierfelder, München 1961, Helikon 3 (1963) 621-623.
17. Parerga zu den Epigrammen des Theodoros Studites, ‘EAAqviKa 18 (1964)
11-43, mit einem Nachtrag ebd. 297f.
18. Ein Heiligenbilderzyklus im Studioskloster um das Jahr 800, Actes du XIIe Con­
grès International des Études Byzantines, tome III, Belgrad 1964, S. 333-344.
19. Rezension von Christos und das verschenkte Brot. Neugriechische Volkslegenden
und Legendenmärchen. Ins Deutsche übertragen, zu einem Teil gesammelt und
hrsg. von M. Klaar, Kassel 1963, Balkan Studies 5 (1964) 421-424.
20. Zur Datierung des sogenannten Paradeisos, Byz. Zeitschr. 58 (1965) 333-336.
21. Rezension von Eugenii Panormitani Versus Iambici, edidit, italice reddidit,
commentario instruxit M. Gigante (Istituto Siciliano di Studi Bizantini e Neoel-
lenici. Testi 10), Palermo 1964, Byz. Zeitschr. 58 (1965) 80-97.
22. Rezension von A. Krantonelli, ‘H kgtcx tgov Acjtivcov ‘EAAqvo-BouAyapiKri
ouprrpa^ic; iv ©paKQ 1204-1206, Diss. phil. Athen 1964, Balkan Studies 6
(1965) 443-446.
23. Rezension von Procopii Gazaei epistolae et declamationes, edd. A. Garzya et
R.-J. Loenertz (Studia Patristica et Byzantina 9), Ettal 1963, Byz. Zeitschr. 59
(1966) 115-122.
24. Die ENAYTH. Literarische Quellen zur Bekleidung des Altars in der byzantini­
schen Kirche, Jahrb. Österr. Byz. Gesell. 15 (1966) 323-375.
25. Rezension von H. Hunger, Reich der Neuen Mitte. Der christliche Geist der
byzantinischen Literatur, Graz — Wien — Köln 1965, Balkan Studies 7 (1966)
235-237.
26. rpaiKia und ’Appevia. Das Tätigkeitsfeld eines nicht identifizierten Strategen
im frühen 9. Jahrhundert, Jahrb. Österr. Byz. Gesell. 16 (1967) 71-90.
27. Die Inschrift am Apsisbogen der navayia Xg Akegov, ‘EAAqviKa 20 (1967)
419-421.
 Paul Speck xiii

28. Rezension von A. D. Komines, Tô ßu^GVTivov ÎEpôv ÊrriypG|j|jG kgi oi

ämypappGTorroioi (“’AOqvci”. lEipG AiGTpißcov kgî M e à e t p p g t g o v 3), Athen
1966, ‘EXXqviKG 21 (1968) 192-195.
29. Rezension von Pseudo-Kodinos, Traité des Offices, Introduction, Texte et Tra­
duction par J. Verpeaux (Le Monde Byzantin 1), Paris 1966, 'EXXqviKG 21
(1968) 195-201.
30. Rezension von A. Guillou, Les actes grecs de S. Maria di Messina. Enquête sur
les populations grecques d’Italie du Sud et de Sicile (XIe-X IV e s.) (Istituto
Siciliano di Studi Bizantini e Neoellenici. Testi 8), Palermo 1963, Jahrb. Österr.
Byz. Gesell. 17 (1968) 303-307.
31. Zwei lexicis addenda der spätbyzantinischen Verwaltungssprache: peteu-

v Agottioic ; — ÔEcpEvoToop, ‘EXXqviKG 21 (1968) 406-410.

32. Der “Schriftsteller” Palamedes, Jahrb. Österr. Byz. 18 (1969) 89-93.

33. Eudoxia-Säule und Pittakia, 'EXXqviKG 22 (1969) 430-435.
34. Rezension von E. Th. Tsolakes, ‘ H ouve ' xéig Tqc; xpovoypcpiGç t o u ’IcoGvvq

I (Ioannes Skylitzes continuatus), Thessalonike 1968, ‘EXXqviKG 22

k u X î t ^p

(1969) 474-481.
35. Rezension von H. Hunger, Der byzantinische Katz-Mäuse-Krieg. Theodoros
Prodromos, Katomyomachia, Einleitung, Text und Übersetzung (Byzant. Vin-
dob. 3), Graz — Wien — Köln 1968, 'EXXqviKG 22 (1969) 481-487.
36. Der Mauerbau in 60 Tagen. Zum Datum der Errichtung der Landmauer von
Konstantinopel mit einem Anhang über die Datierung der Notitia Urbis
Constantinopolitanae, Studien zur Frühgeschichte Konstantinopels, hrsg. von
H.-G. Beck (Mise. Byz. Monac. 14), München 1973, S. 135-178 und S. 227.
37. (zusammen mit G. Prinzing) Fünf Lokalitäten in Konstantinopel (das Bad
Kg o v o t g v t iv ig v g î ; die Paläste Ko o v o t g v t ig v g î und t g Kg o v o tg ; das Z e u v |j g ;
das 'ErrTGOKGXov), Studien zur Frühgeschichte Konstantinopels, hrsg. von H.-
G. Beck (Mise. Byz. Monac. 14), München 1973, S. 179-226.
38. Rezension von P. Lemerle, Le premier humanisme byzantin. Notes et remarques
sur enseignement et culture à Byzance des origines au Xe siècle (Bibliothèque
Byzantine. Études 6), Paris 1971, Byz. Zeitschr. 67 (1974) 385-393.
39. Die ikonoklastischen Jamben an der Chalke, 'EXXqviKG 27 (1974) 376-380.
40. Petros Sikeliotes, seine Historia und der Erzbischof von Bulgarien, 'EXXqviKG
27 (1974) 381-387.
41. Buch und Fachberatung zum Unterrichtsfilm: Konstantinopel— Großstadt im Mit­
telalter. Institut für Film und Bild in Wissenschaft und Unterricht, Grünwald 1976.
42. Eine byzantinische Darstellung der antiken Stadt Athen, 'EXXqviKG 28 (1975)
415-418.
43. Photios über das Apsis-Mosaik der Hagia Sophia, 'EXXqviKG 30 (1977-1978)
399-403.
XIV Bibliography

44. Krippenspiel in Byzanz?, ‘EXAqvikc; 30 (1977-1978) 403-406.

45. Ko ö |j o o u ö t g t (a) v ßaoiAe'oov, ‘EAAqviKa 30(1977-1978)407-411.
46. Buch (mit Wilfrid Grote) und Fachberatung zum Unterrichtsfilm:
Venedig — Wirtschaftsmacht im Mittelalter, Institut für Film und Bild in Wis­
senschaft und Unterricht, Grünwald 1978.
47. Versuch einer Charakterisierung der sogenannten Makedonischen Renaissance,
Les Pays du Nord et Byzance (Scandinavie et Byzance). Actes du colloque
nordique et international de byzantinologie tenue à Upsal 20-22 avril 1979, red.
par R. Zeitler (Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. Figura. Nova Series 19), Uppsala
1981, S. 237-242.
48. Rezension von St. Gero, Byzantine Iconoclasm during the reign of Constantine
V with particular attention to the oriental sources (CSCO 384, Subsidia 52),
Leiden 1977, Byz. Zeitschr. 75 (1982) 59f.
49. Waren die Byzantiner mittelalterliche Altgriechen oder glaubten sie es nur?,
Rechtshist. Journal 2 (1983) 5-11.
50. Rezension von Corippe (Flavius Cresconius Corippus), Eloge de l’empereur Justin
II. Texte éd. et traduit par S. Antès, Paris 1981, Gnomon 55 (1983) 500-507.
51. “Die Beiträge stehen zur weiteren klärenden Diskussion”, Rechtshist. Journal 3
(1984) 24-35.
52. Ikonoklasmus und die Anfänge der Makedonischen Renaissance, Varia I
(rioiKÍAa Bu£avnvá 4), Bonn 1984, S. 175-210.
53. Tpacpaîç q yAu9 a?c;. Zu dem Fragment des Hypatios von Ephesos über die
Bilder, mit einem Anhang: Zu dem Dialog mit einem Juden des Leontios von
Neapolis, Varia I (lloiKÍAa Bu£avTivá 4), Bonn 1984, S. 211-272.
54. Interpolations et non-sens indiscutables. Das erste Gedicht der Ptochoprodromika,
Varia I (IIoikíAcí Bu£avTivá 4), Bonn 1984, S. 273-309.
55. Artabasdos, Bonifatius und die drei Pallia, Zeitschr. f. Kirchengesch. 96 (1985)
179-195.
56. Klassizismus im achten Jahrhundert. Die Homelie (sic!) des Patriarchen Ger­
manos über die Rettung Konstantinopels, Rev. Ét. Byz. 44 (1986) 209-227.
57. Die Ursprünge der byzantinischen Renaissance, The 17th International Byzan­
tine Congress, Major Papers, New Rochelle, N.Y., 1986, S. 555-576.
58. Germanica sunt, non leguntur?, Leserbrief (betr. J. Moorhead, Iconoclasm, The
Cross and the Imperial Image, Byzantion 55 [1985] 165-179), Byzantion 56
(1986) 520-522.
59. A more Charitable Verdict (Rezension von N. G. Wilson, Scholars of Byzan-
tium, London 1983), Klio 68 (1986) 615-625.
60. (zusammen mit Claudia Ludwig) Versindex zu Zacos II, Varia II (lloïKÎAa
Bu£avTivà 6), Bonn 1987, S. 229-242.
 Paul Speck xv

61. Weitere Überlegungen und Untersuchungen über die Ursprünge der byzantini­
schen Renaissance, mit einem Nachtrag: Das Trierer Elfenbein und andere
Unklarheiten, Varia II (rioiiaXa Bu£avTiva 6), Bonn 1987, S. 253-283.
62. Anthologia Palatina I, 1 und das Apsismosaik der Hagia Sophia, mit vier Addenda:
1. Die Bilderschriften angeblich des Epiphanios von Salamis. 2. Der Dialog mit
einem Juden angeblich des Leontios von Neapolis. 3. Die Darstellungen in der
Apsis der Chalkoprateia-Kirche. 4. Ta kpa — Eine Stiftung des Artabasdos, Varia
II (noiKiÄa Bu£avTiva 6), Bonn 1987, S. 285-329.
63. Nochmals: Die Endyte, Varia II (IHondAa ßu(avTiva 6), Bonn 1987, S. 331-337.
64. Ein Reiterrelief Justinians I. im Hippodrom (Appendix Planudea 62 und 63),
mit einem Anhang: Das Barberini-Elfenbein (mit zwei Tafeln), Varia II
(rioiKiÄa ßu^avTiva 6), Bonn 1987, S. 339-353.
65. Ein Bild des Erzengels Michael in Ephesos (Anthologia Palatina I, 36), Varia II
(rioiKiÄa ßu(avTiva 6), Bonn 1987, S. 355-362.
66. Ehrenbilder als Tafelbilder und Reliefs, Varia II (rioiidAa ßu^avTiva 6), Bonn
1987, S. 363-369.
67. Die Interpretation des Bellum Avaricum und der Kater MexAejjrre, in drei
Teilen: 1. Der Protest des Patriarchen Sergios gegen die Heirat des Herakleios
mit Martina. 2. Die Gesandtschaft des Patrikios Athanasios zu dem Khagan der
Avaren. 3. Bellum Avaricum; die Verse 457-461, Varia II (iloiKiÄa BuCavnva
6), Bonn 1987, S. 371-402.
68. Die große Kirche von Antiocheia, Varia II (üoiKiAa Bu£avnva 6), Bonn 1987,
S. 403-410.
69. Die “Maria von Sozupolis”, 'EAAqviKc: 37 (1986) 349-351.
70. War Bronze ein knappes Metall? Die Legende von dem Stier auf dem Bus in den
“Parastaseis”42, 'EAAqviKa 39 (1988) 3-17.
71. Die Schilderhebung des Phokas, ‘EAAqviKa 39 (1988) 157f.
72. Ikonen unter dem Kopfkissen oder über die Dauerhaftigkeit von Legenden und
historiographischen Klischees (Rezension von W. T. Treadgold, The Byzantine
Revival 780-842, Stanford, California, 1988), Klio 72 (1990) 246-253.
73. Eine Interpolation in den Bilderreden des Johannes von Damaskos, Byz.
Zeitschr. 82(1989) 114-117.
74. Marginalien zu dem Gedicht In Laudem Iustini Augusti Minoris des Corippus,
Philologus 134(1990) 82-92.
75. Commentarius historico-philologicus ad librum qui inscribitur Sine Titulo.
76. (= Sine Titulo, Prolegomena zu einer Festschrift für Paul Speck aus Anlaß
seines 60. Geburtstages. 1. Beiheft zu den IHondAa ßu(avTiva [Beilage zum 1.
Beiheft zu der Reihe rioiKiÄa Bu£avTiva], Berlin 1990).
77. Der Tod an der Furca, Jahrb. Österr. Byz. 40 (1990) 349f.
XVI Bibliography

78. Artikel Irene, byzantinische Kaiserin; Konstantin V., byzantinischer Kaiser; Kon­
stantin VI., byzantinischer Kaiser; Leon III., byzantinischer Kaiser, Lexikon des
Mittelalters, Bd. V, 1991.
79. Zwei anonyme Epigramme, Klio 73 (1991) 279f.
80. (zusammen mit E. Krengel), KgAgijgov ouvt6(jig . Z u griechischen Bezeichnungen
für tesserae, Rhein. Mus., N.F. 134 (1991) 196-202.
81. Rezension von H. Belting, Bild und Kult. Eine Geschichte des Bildes vor dem
Zeitalter der Kunst, München 1990, Klio 73 (1991) 678-685.
82. Wie dumm darf Zosimos sein? Vorschläge zu seiner Neubewertung, ByzSlav.
52(1991) 1-14.
83. Juliana Anicia, Konstantin der Große und die Polyeuktoskirche in Konstan­
tinopel, Varia III (noiKÍÁa Bu£gvtivg 11), Bonn 1991, S. 133-147.
84. Golden oder vergoldet? Die Statuen der Wagenlenker im Hippodrom, Varia III
( Í I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t iv g 11), Bonn 1991, S. 149-162.

85. Wunderheilige und Bilder. Zur Frage des Beginns der Bilderverehrung, Varia III
( Í I o i k í Ag Bu ( g v t i v g 11), Bonn 1991, S. 163-247.

86. Konstantinos von Rhodos. Zweck und Datum der Ekphrasis der Sieben Wunder
von Konstantinopel und der Apostelkirche, Varia III ( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 11),
Bonn 1991, S. 249-268.
87. Über Dossiers in byzantinischer antiquarischer Arbeit, über Schulbücher für
Prinzen, sowie zu einer Seite frisch edierten Porphyrogennetos, Varia III
(lloiKÍÁG Bu£gvtivg 11), Bonn 1991, S. 269-292.
88. (Erlassenes?) Gesetz oder ein weiteres Schulbuch? Überlegungen zur Entste­
hung des Eparchenbuches, Varia III ( Í I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 11), Bonn 1991, S.
293-306.
89. Konstantinopel — ein Modell für Bologna? Zur Gründung einer Rechtsschule
durch Irnerius, Varia III ( Í I o i k í Ag Bu ^g v t iv g 11), Bonn 1991, S. 307-348.
90. Rezension von Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople, Short History
(Nicephori patriarchae Constantinopolitani Breviarium Historicum). Text,
Translation and Commentary by C. Mango (CFHB 13) Washington, D.C., 1990,
Byz. Zeitschr. 83 (1990) 471-478.
91. Eine Quelle zum Tod an der Furca, Jahrb. Österr. Byz. 42 (1992) 83-85.
92. Eine Gedächtnisfeier am Grabe des Maurikios. Die Historiai des Theophylaktos
Simokates: der Auftrag; die Fertigstellung; der Grundgedanke, Varia IV
( Í I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 12), Bonn 1993, S. 175-254.

93. De miraculis Sancti Demetrii, qui Thessalonicam profugus venit, oder Ket­
zerisches zu den Wundergeschichten des Heiligen Demetrios und zu seiner
Basilika in Thessalonike, Varia IV ( Í I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 12), Bonn 1993, S.
255-532.
 Paul Speck XVII

94. Theoderich und sein Hofstaat. Die Prozessionsmosaiken von Sant’Apollinare

Nuovo in Ravenna, Boreas 16 (1993) 91-98.
95. Schweinefleisch und Bilderkult. Zur Bilderdebatte in den sogenannten Judendi­
alogen, To ‘EAXqviKÓv. Studies in Honor of Speros Vryonis, Jr., Vol. I, Hellenic
Antiquity and Byzantium, ed. by J. S. Langdon, St. W. Reinert, J. Stanojevich
Allen, Ch. P. Ioannides, New Rochelle, N.Y., 1993, S. 367-383.
96. Schlecht geordnete Gedanken zum Philhellenismus qToi ’'Atgxtec; oké^ ek; y ics
t ó v cpiÁ£ÁÁqvio(jó, Der Philhellenismus in der westeuropäischen Literatur

1780-1830, hrsg. von A. Noe, Amsterdam 1994, S. 1-16.

97. Die Rosettenkästchen. Original arbeiten oder Versuche einer Verwendung von
vorhandenem Material?, Byz. Zeitschr. 86-87 (1993-1994) 79-85.
98. Rezension von H.-G. Thümmel, Bilderlehre und Bilderstreit. Arbeiten zur
Auseinandersetzung über die Ikone und ihre Begründung vornehmlich im 8.
und 9. Jahrhundert (Das östliche Christentum, N.F. 40), Würzburg 1991, und
von dems., Die Frühgeschichte der ostkirchlichen Bilderlehre. Texte und Unter­
suchungen zur Zeit vor dem Bilderstreit (TU 139), Berlin 1992, Byz. Zeitschr.
86-87 (1993-1994) 132f.
99. Die heutige Lektion: Gesandtschaften. Überlegungen zu der Schrift llcoq 6 eT
rrpEoßsuEOÖai kgi rrp£oߣu£iv, Jahrb. Österr. Byz. 44 (1994) (ANAPIA2. Her­
bert Hunger zum 80. Geburtstag) 361-367.
100. Ein gleichzeiliger Hymnos angeblich auf den Heiligen Epiphanios, Varia V
( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 13), Bonn 1994, S. 261-291.

101. Das Barberini-Elfenbein: eine Präzisierung, Varia V ( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 13),

Bonn 1994, S. 287-291.
102. Das Teufelsschloß. Bilderverehrung bei Anastasios Sinaites?, Varia V (IIoikíAg
Bu £g v t i v g 13), Bonn 1994, S. 293-309.

103. Intonationsformel oder Motiv?, Varia V ( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 13), Bonn 1994, S.

311-315.
104. Nochmals zu den Miracula Sancti Demetrii. Die Version des Anastasius Biblio-
thecarius, Varia V ( I I o i k í Ag Bu ( g v t i v g 13), Bonn 1994, S. 317-429.
105. Der “zweite” Theophanes. Eine These zur Chronographie des Theophanes,
Varia V ( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 13), Bonn 1994, S. 431-483.
106. Die Affäre um Konstantin von Nakoleia. Zum Anfang des Ikonoklasmus, Byz.
Zeitschr. 88 (1995) 148-154.
107. T g t r\bz ßGTTGpiopGTG itAg v g . Überlegungen zur Außendekoration der
Chalke im achten Jahrhundert, Studien zur byzantinischen Kunstgeschichte.
Festschrift für Horst Hallensleben zum 65. Geburtstag, hrsg. von B. Borkopp, B.
Schellewald, L. Theis, Amsterdam 1995, S. 211-220.
108. Das letzte Jahr des Artabasdos, Jahrb. Österr. Byz. 45 (1995) 37-52.
xviii Bibliography

109. Ignatios Diakonos, I t í x o i de; t ö v ’A 8 g |j . Eine Aufführung zur Abschlußfeier,

ByzSlav. 56 (1995) (ITEOANOI. Studia byzantina ac slavica Vladimiro
Vavrinek ad annum sexagesimum quintum dedicata) 353-357.
110. Urbs, quam Deo donavimus. Konstantins des Großen Konzept für Konstan­
tinopel, Boreas 18 (1995) 143-173.
111. Ideologische Ansprüche— historische Realität. Zum Problem des Selbstver­
ständnisses der Byzantiner, Byzanz und seine Nachbarn, hrsg. von A. Hohlweg
(Südosteuropa-Jahrbuch 26), München 1996, S. 19-45.
112. Die byzantinische Renaissance und das klassische Altertum, Byzantium. Iden­
tity, Image, Influence, XIX International Congress of Byzantine Studies, Major
Papers, Kopenhagen 1996, S. 17-25.
113. Resümee der Problematik der Tafelrunde G: Überlieferung spätantiker und
frühbyzantinischer Texte “vor dem Archetypus”, Byzantium. Identity, Image,
Influence, XIX International Congress of Byzantine Studies, Major Papers,
Kopenhagen 1996, S. 496-499.
114. Was für Bilder eigentlich?, Neue Überlegungen zum Bilderedikt des Kalifen
Yazid, Le Muséon 109 (1996) 267-278.
115. The Apocalypse of Zerubbabel and Christian Icons. Jewish Studies Quarterly 4
(1997) 185-190.
116. Der Tod des Phokas und die Ermordung des Anastasios von Antiocheia, Varia
VI ( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 15), Bonn 1997, S. 25-35.
117. Die Predigt des Strategios, Varia VI ( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 15), Bonn 1997, S.
37-29.
118. Adversus Iudaeos — pro imaginibus. Die Gedanken und Argumente des Leon-
tios von Neapolis und des Georgios von Zypern, Varia VI ( I I o i k í Ag Bu ( g v t i v g
15), Bonn 1997, S. 131-176.
119. Das Martyrion des heiligen Anastasios des Persers und die Rückkehr seines
Leichnams, Varia VI ( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 15), Bonn 1997, S. 177-266.
120. Die Doctrina Iacobi nuper baptizati, Varia VI ( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 15), Bonn
1997, S. 267-439.
121. Máximos der Bekenner und die Zwangstaufe durch Kaiser Herakleios, Varia VI
( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 15), Bonn 1997, S. 441-467.
122. Sophronios und die Juden, Varia VI ( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t iv g 15), Bonn 1997, S.
469-475.
123. Eine abgelehnte Miszelle mit dem vorgesehenen Titel: Eigentlich nicht weiter
erstaunliche Sekundärliteratur, Varia V ( I I o i k í Ag Bu £g v t i v g 15), Bonn 1997, S.
477-479.
124. Die vermeintliche Häresie der Athinganoi, Jahrb. Österr. Byz. 47 (1997) 37-50.
125. Sokrates Scholastikos über die beiden Apolinarioi, Philologus 141 (1997)
362-369.
 Paul Speck xix

126. Epiphania et Martine sur les monnaies d’Heraclius, Rev. numism. 152 (1997)
457-465.
127. Rezension von H. Schlange-Schöningen, Kaisertum und Bildungswesen im spät­
antiken Konstantinopel (Historia, Einzelschriften 94), Stuttgart 1995, Byz.
Zeitschr. 90(1997) 499-502.
128. Der Disput um Fragment 209,1 des Johannes von Antiocheia, Klio 79 (1997)
479-483.
129. Beobachtungen zur Unterbasis des Theodosios-Obelisken im Hippodrom von
Konstantinopel, Boreas 20 (1997) 17-22.
130. Bilder und Bilderstreit, Byzanz, die Macht der Bilder. Katalog zur Ausstellung
im Dom-Museum Hildesheim, hrsg. von M. Brandt und A. Effenberger,
Hildesheim 1998, S. 56-67.
131. Ohne Anfang und Ende. Das Hexaemeron des Georgios Pisides, AETOL Studies
in honour of Cyril Mango, presented to him on April 14, 1998, ed. by I.
Sevcenko and I. Hutter, Stuttgart — Leipzig 1998, S. 314-328.
132. Byzantium: cultural suicide?, in: L. Brubaker (Hrsg.), Byzantium in the Ninth
Century: Dead or Alive?, Aldershot 1998, S. 73-84.
133. SO Debate. J. Ljubarskij, Quellenforschung and/or Literary Criticism: Narrative
Structures in Byzantine Historical Writings with comments by D. Ye.
Afmogenov, P. A. Agapitos, J. Duffy, M. Hinterberger, E. Jeffreys, A. Little-
wood, C. Rapp, J. O. Rosenqvist, L. Ryden, P. Speck, & W. Treadgold, Symb.
Osloen. 73 (1998) 5-73 (P. Speck S. 52-57).
134. Rezension von A. Alexakis, Codex Parisinus Graecus 1115 and Its Archetype
(Dumbarton Oaks Studies 34), Washington, D.C., 1996, Jahrb. Österr. Byz. 48
(1998) 345-348.
135. Rezension von W. Seibt— M. L. Zarnitz, Das byzantinische Bleisiegel als
Kunstwerk. Katalog zur Ausstellung, Wien 1997, Byz. Zeitschr. 91 (1998)
581-583.
136. Eine Brautschau für Staurakios?, Jahrb. Österr. Byz. 49 (1999) 25-30.
C\
~
Taylor & Francis
Taylor & Francis Group
http://taylorandfrancis.com
 G eneral Introduction

Byzantium after 2000

P o st-M il l e n n ia l , b u t n o t P o st-M odern?

John Haldon

This volume, dedicated to one of the best-known contemporary scholars of Byzantine

culture and civilisation, is a fitting reminder also that Byzantine Studies as a disci­
pline— or rather, as a set of disciplines — has attained a degree of maturity and schol­
arly interest, indeed popularity, which only a century ago might have appeared to
scholars such as Bury or Krumbacher as rather unlikely, even if desirable. The follow­
ing brief comments reflect a personal commentary on the state of the field, and an
effort to contextualise what “Byzantine Studies” means for those involved with it in
the last years of the twentieth century.
In part, the popularity of Byzantine Studies reflects the expansion of mass tertiary
education through Universities and equivalent institutions, especially in the United States
and western Europe; in part it reflects also an increased awareness of, and interest in, the
post-Classical antecedents of much of “western” culture, and a corresponding awareness
of the proximity to its medieval forebears held by those contemporary cultures in which
the Orthodox Church has played a role from medieval times up to the present day. It also
reflects the interest in part of their own heritage shown by second- and third-generation
immigrants from Greece and eastern Europe to the United States, Canada, and Australia
in particular, where the popular combination of Byzantine with Modern Greek Studies
demonstrates the expansion of a small but lively educational market. Recent and current
political and cultural issues in South-East Europe in particular have raised the conscious­
ness of many with regard to the Byzantine past and its contribution to the shaping of the
modern world in the Balkan and East Mediterranean region; and while the history of
Byzantine Studies is too well-known to bear repeating here, it is significant, and perhaps
also ironic, that it was likewise primarily for reasons of political concern that interest in
the Byzantine world and its heritage received such stimulus in the early Renaissance
period in the first place. For the threat from the expanding Ottoman state which was per­
ceived in central and western Europe served directly to stimulate interest in Byzantine
accounts of the Turks and their history, an interest which in its turn promoted further
probing into the East Roman, or at least post-Roman imperial past, among political and
intellectual circles of the West, especially in Italy, during the sixteenth century1.
Closely bound up with this political historical, indeed, strategic geographical
interest, study of the Greek language and its evolution in the post-classical world was

1 There is an excellent short survey of the history of Byzantine Studies in Gy. Moravcsik, Einfiihrung in
die Byzantinologie, Darmstadt 1976.
2 Byzantium after 2000

a central part of this developing tradition. The linguistic evolution of Greek in its var­
ious spoken and written forms, the functional and cultural differentiation between the
various registers and dialects, proved to be a vast field for linguists and philologists, an
interest again stimulated by the need to make sense of medieval Greek historical writ­
ing and chronicles, and tied in with the very immediate demands of the cultural poli­
tics of the period which produced it.
But like much of the subject-matter of western science, Byzantium has remained
the object until quite recently of outside scrutiny, for the scholarly study of “Byzan­
tium” evolved last of all in those areas most directly part of the heritage: the Greek­
speaking regions of the south Balkans and Asia Minor. Of course, such an interest
existed throughout the Tourkokratia, evolving especially towards the end of the eigh­
teenth century, less as a revival of interest in the Byzantine past than as a re-directing
of already existing intellectual currents, from a more-or-less strictly “Orthodox” view
of the God-guarded empire and its heritage, to a more openly pluralistic and, dare one
say, more “scientific” attitude, as the effects of rationalism and the Enlightenment
were felt.
Yet the Enlightenment did not necessarily signal an enlightened approach to
Byzantium: indeed, we all are familiar with Edward Gibbon’s judgement, a view
determined largely by the eighteenth-century English interpretation of Greek philoso­
phy and the stoic values of the Roman republic (which fitted comfortably with the
self-image of the English upper class), together with the distaste felt by many enlight­
enment thinkers for the politics of the medieval Church, eastern or western — a view
also shared, to a degree at least, by Greek rationalist thinkers such as Adamantios
Koraes2.
Byzantine Studies, in the sense of the study of Byzantine history, language and
literature has a long pedigree. But whether we consider Hieronymus Wolf3, Edward
Gibbon or Karl Krumbacher to be the founders of “modern” Byzantine Studies, it is
clear that, more than with many other areas of the study of past societies, it is a multi­
disciplinary and, perhaps most importantly, a multi-cultural field. In this it reflects its
subject, itself a multi-cultural and, for much of its history, a polyglot state in which the
Greek language and the Orthodox Church served among many other elements as key
unifying factors. The content of the present volume provides a neat illustration of the
point, as also of the many-stranded nature of the field. This is not to suggest that other

2 But we should be careful to differentiate between the ‘rationalist’ hostility to Byzantium displayed by
writers such as Gibbon and the prurient moralising hostility of later writers of the Victorian age such as
William Lecky, whose views Gibbon would probably have found equally distasteful. See W. E. H. Lecky,
A History of European Morals from Augustus to Charlemagne, 2 vols., London 1869, 2, pp. 13f.: “Of
that Byzantine empire, the universal verdict of history is that it constitutes, without a single exception,
the most thoroughly base and despicable form that civilisation has yet assumed. There has been no other
enduring civilisation so absolutely destitute of all forms and elements of greatness, and none to which the
epithet mean may be so emphatically applied . . . The history of the empire is a monotonous story of the
intrigues of priests, eunuchs, and women, of poisonings, of conspiracies, of uniform ingratitude”.
3 See H.-G. Beck, Der Vater der deutschen Byzantinistik: Das Leben des Hieronymus Wolf, von ihm selbst
erzählt (Mise. Byz. Monac. 29), Munich 1984.
 John Haldon 3

fields — for example, western Medieval Studies — are in themselves less multi-faceted,
simply to remark on the fact that Byzantinists have evolved a particular identity which
contrasts them with colleagues in other fields. This has sometimes had negative results,
insofar as Byzantine Studies can be seen as an esoteric and somewhat marginal area of
interest— a result to a degree of the language or languages of the sources, partly also a
result of the geographical centre of the field, well away from most of the regions where
the subject first evolved.
Only in Greece itself (and in emigré Greek communities) is Byzantium “main­
stream”, and this has, in turn brought its own particular disadvantages. For here the
exigencies of cultural politics, ethnohistory, the continued role of the Orthodox
Church and its own view of the Byzantine past, contemporary national political issues
of identity and relations with neighbouring states and cultures, have all combined to
affect the ways in which Byzantium has been appropriated, studied, and re-presented
to the indigenous consumer of recent and contemporary Greek culture. The internal
debate has in turn had its effects upon the external readership, so that both a romantic
philhellenic and an anti-Hellenic perspective can be detected in the writings of non-
Greek Byzantinists4. The literature on this topic is considerable and well-known, and
it is unnecessary to pursue the subject further in this context. But it is important to bear
it in mind, because the bifocal lens of Byzantine studies — informed both by an “inter­
nal” perspective of those born and brought up within the modern Hellenic tradition,
and by an “external” point of view of those outside modern Greek culture — has deter­
mined a good deal of the discourse of Byzantinists.
Byzantine Studies is a handy term that actually comprises a vast range of sub-fields
which often have little direct contact one to another— indeed, the contents of this vol­
ume are again illuminating in this respect. But these sub-fields, if that is an appropriate
term, themselves fall into two broad categories: instrumental and interpretational. By the
former, I mean those disciplines which are primarily concerned with the preparation and
analysis of source material of one type or another, without which it must reasonably be
conceded that no more broadly-based interpretative or generalising study can properly
be effected. And because of the nature of the sources, whether literary, epigraphic,
archaeological or visual representational, the instrumental tradition has tended, by
necessity, to dominate the field of Byzantine Studies as a whole. Most “Byzantinists”
possess a competence in at least one, and usually more than one, of these instrumental
skills, which in themselves tend to discourage theoretical reflection. Such skills are
rooted in the positivism of nineteenth-century notions of scientificity which have domi­
nated and moulded European and North American historiographical thinking, and it has
been until recently the emphasis on the technical and methodological skills which are
required for the internal and external assessment of textual evidence that have domi­
nated— quite rightly, up to a point— the training of those who wanted to study Byzan­
tium more closely. In particular, the methods and priorities of classical philology have

4 For a useful brief summary o f some of the issues, see Av. Cameron, The Use and Abuse of Byzantium.
An Essay on Reception, Inaugural Lecture, King’s College London, 15 May 1990, London 1992 (rpt. in:
ead., Changing Cultures in Early Byzantium, Aldershot 1996, no. XIII).
4 Byzantium after 2000

necessarily had a major influence, even if this is no longer the case today (and without
pronouncing any value judgements in that regard). Theoretical abstraction has thus been
avoided without too many qualms as largely unneccessary, enabling specialists to pursue
their aims using methods which, by virtue of their proven scientificity, are seen as more-
or-less neutral, thus assuring a ‘true’ picture of the past.
In 1984 I wrote an article about the confrontation which it seemed to me at the
time existed between, very broadly speaking, those who were interested in question­
ing the theoretical assumptions underlying and informing their research, and those
who were not interested in such debates, preferring to see them either as irrelevant
or as inaccessible5. In my concluding remarks, I suggested that Byzantine Studies in
the mid-1980s was in the process of what T. S. Kuhn would have called a ‘paradigm
shift’, that is to say, a process through which a traditional set (or sets) of assump­
tions and priorities, as well as theories and approaches, is replaced by different sets
of ideas. The changes in the nature of the subject and in those who pursue it have not
been particularly marked, yet there has for all that been some considerable move­
ment in attitudes and assumptions about what is acceptable material for study and
what are appropriate questions to ask. To a degree, of course, this is entirely pre­
dictable: the changes in social and cultural values and priorities in general, in sec­
ondary education, and in the context of the major political issues of the day, have
naturally worked themselves through to the level of university and college degree
programmes. The effects of gender-studies programmes and feminist history-writing
in particular can be seen in the sorts of social history questions which are now
being asked by younger scholars especially. But equally impressive changes in the
agendas of art historians and archaeologists have taken place, so that, when we
stand back for a moment and compare the situation only twenty or so years ago
with that of today, we see a really rather different set of questions and interests at
the forefront.
Now all this may simply be the inevitable result of a shift in attention introduced
by a new generation of scholars and students. On the other hand, it seems to me that
the changes since the late 1970s have been faster and more far-reaching than those
beforehand, and that a real broadening of the historical agenda has occurred which
contrasts very strikingly with the slower rate of change of the period from before the
Second World War until the 1970s.
Two fields in particular, it seems to me, have benefited from closer engagement
with current theoretical debates, namely art history and literary studies6. Yet, as with
social and economic history, which have similarly engaged to an extent with develop­
ments inaugurated in other fields, Byzantine Studies as a whole remains peculiarly
slow to take up — even if only to debate with and to reject — some of the issues

5 J. F. Haldon, “Jargon” vs. “the Facts”? Byzantine Flistory-Writing and Contemporary Debates, Byz.
Mod. Greek Stud. 9 (1984-1985) 95-132.
6 For useful recent surveys of new as well as traditional approaches, see M. Mullett, Dancing with Deconstruc­
tionists in the Gardens of the Muses: New Literary History vs?, Byz. Mod. Greek Stud. 14 (1990) 258-275;
and L. Brubaker, Parallel Universes: Byzantine Art History in 1990 and 1991, ibid. 16 (1992) 203-233; and
ead., Life Imitates Art: Writings on Byzantine Art History, 1991-1992, ibid. 17 (1993) 173-223.
Another Random Scribd Document
with Unrelated Content
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Paid off
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where
you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Paid off

Author: Walt Coburn

Release date: March 8, 2021 [eBook #64757]

Most recently updated: October 18, 2024

Language: English

Credits: Roger Frank

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PAID OFF ***

 ADVENTURE
July 10, 1925
Vol. LIII, No. IIII

PAID OFF
A Complete Novelette
By
Walter J. Coburn
Author of “The Grub Line,” “Deuce High,” etc.
 I

“Bow-legged runt, eh? And my Skewball pony’s a crow-bait, eh?

And I’m too —— small for a growed-up man tuh tackle, am I?”
Each grunting, panting question was punctuated by a stinging
slap. Shorty Carroway’s breath came in gasps from between a pair of
bruised, bleeding lips.
His weight resting on the heaving chest of the big man under him,
knees jammed into the bulging muscles of that beaten man’s
forearms, Shorty’s full-swung slaps jolted the swollen, battered face.
Then the little cowpuncher’s hand gripped the shock of hair and
raised the big head from the sawdust-covered floor.
“Got a plenty?”
Shorty shifted his weight to one side and a sharp-roweled, long-
shanked spur raked the ribs beneath the big man’s heavy mackinaw.
He grinned mirthlessly into the bloodshot eyes of the heavyweight
champion of the Little Rockies.
“Yuh made a crack a few minutes ago that you was the toughest
gent in Montana,” grunted Shorty. “Yuh took in too much range, yuh
sway-backed, muscle-bound, stove-up ox. Well I’m from Arizona,
sabe? And down there, we got cripples that kin lay aside their
crutches and whup you. Yuh picked on me because I’m kinda small
and a stranger, and yuh grabbed yorese’f a handful uh hornets,
didn’t yuh? Got a plenty, —— yuh?”
Another slap sent the miner’s head back into the sawdust.
Tad Ladd, partner of the fighting cowpuncher, paced up and down
before a crowd of miners and cowpunchers who crowded backward
behind the battered pool table and abandoned faro layout.
 “That’s my li’l’ ol’ runt of a pardner, yonder,” he taunted the surly
crowd. “My danged li’l ol’ bench-legged pard. Watch him, hombres!
Watch him clost while yuh see yore Alder Gulch champeen git his
needin’s. Got ary more sledge-swingin’, snuff-eatin’, loud-mouthed
fightin’ men that wants tuh git worked down to Shorty’s size and
whupped by a gent that does it scientific? Got ary more nasty
remarks tuh make about the ponies that me and my pardner rides?
Got ary——”
“What the —— goes on in here?”
The voice came from the doorway in no uncertain tones. A gray
mustached, white-haired man of stocky build stepped through the
swinging doors. To the lapel of his open vest was pinned a sheriff’s
badge. A blue-barreled .45 covered Tad.
Behind the sheriff stood a mottle-faced, white-aproned man in
shirt sleeves. The man’s clothes were torn and dust-covered. His
pudgy hands and mottled face were covered with small cuts.
Tad shoved his gun back into the waistband of his faded overalls.
He grinned pleasantly at the sheriff, nodded, then his grin widened
as he looked at the portly man in the discolored apron.
“So yo’re back, eh?” he said pleasantly. “Jest like a danged jack-
in-the-box. I pitch yuh out the window and yuh come back through
the door.”
Tad turned to Shorty, who, heedless of the interruption, was
lending an attentive ear to the pleadings of the whipped miner.
“Let up on the big rock-buster, Shorty,” he called. “John Law has
done took chips in the game.”
Tad’s words had much the same effect as a bucket of ice water
thrown on a couple of fighting dogs. Shorty got to his feet, felt of a
discolored and partially closed eye, and reached for papers and
tobacco. He grinned uneasily into the cold-blue eyes of the sheriff.
“Hand me my gun, Taddie,” he said, his breath coming in labored
gasps. “We’d jest as well be moving along, I reckon.”
But the sheriff blocked the exit.
“I’m takin’ charge uh the shootin’ irons,” he said sternly. “Ante, big
’un. Butts first. Thanks.”
 He shoved the tendered weapons into his waistband.
“Will you two come peaceable er do I put the ’cuffs on yuh?”
“Yuh mean we’re arrested?” gasped Shorty.
“Yuh don’t think fer a minute that you trouble hunters kin come
into my town, bust out windows and raise —— in general, and not
see the inside uh my jail, do yuh?”
Shorty turned a sorrowful gaze on his big partner.
“Kin yuh beat it, Tad? Kin yuh ever tie it? Looks like it’s ag’in the
law tuh trim down oxes like that bohunk settin’ yonder, a-feelin’ his
sore spots. Down home there’s a bounty on ’em.”
“But we’re a long ways from home, runt. And as the sayin’ goes,
we has fell among strangers. Montana ain’t Arizona and our footin’
ain’t so —— solid as she might be.”
“But dang it all, Sheriff,” pleaded Shorty, “the low-down skunk was
blackguardin’ my Skewball pony. The best hoss, barrin’ none, that
ever packed a cow hand. Yuh seen him outside? Bald-faced black
with stockin’ legs? The fastest cow pony north uh —— is Skewball,
and I ain’t aimin’ tuh have no quartz-clawin’ pick-rassler hoo-rawin’
me regardin’ him! I’ll gouge his eyes outa him an’——”
Tad’s restraining hand kept Shorty from renewing the fight. The
crowd surged forward angrily.
“Easy, runt,” cautioned Tad. “Yuh won yore fight. We’re plumb
overmatched.”
“Why the —— don’t you take ’em to the hoosegow?” whined the
white-aproned saloon man. “They’ll be gettin’ away if yuh ain’t
careful.”
“I reckon not,” said the sheriff. “I got their guns.”
“Yo’re plumb welcome to the smoke-poles, Sheriff,” grinned Tad.
“Neither uh the durned things is loaded. Like our pockets, our guns
is empty, as the sayin’ goes. Likewise, our bellies. I hope yuh feeds
yore pris’ners. We ain’t et since day afore yesterday.”
The sheriff gave the pair an odd look, then herded them outside.
They almost collided with an extremely tall, black-clad man who
stood on the sidewalk. The man had evidently been taking in the
scene from outside. His height permitted him to see over the short,
swinging doors into the saloon.
The long-tailed black coat, white shirt and black string tie gave
the tall man the appearance of a minister. The man’s face, however,
belied such a worthy calling. Lean, thin-lipped, unsmiling, it was a
face without a single redeeming feature. His eyes were small, a pale
gray in color, set close together on each side of a thin beak of a
nose.
A wide-brimmed, weather-worn black Stetson covered the head
that Tad felt sure must be bald. The man’s reddish eyebrows met in
a scowl as he met the cowpuncher’s frankly curious gaze.
“I bet he’s a cross between a buzzard and a rawhide rope,” said
Shorty as the sheriff shoved them along.
“One uh these here fire an’ brimstone sky pilots gone wrong, is
my bet. Which of us wins, Sheriff?” added Tad.
“Neither.” The sheriff’s tone was sharp with annoyance. “You
shore cooked yore goose with them bright remarks. Yuh’ll git the
limit now when yore trial comes up. That was Luther Fox.”
“And who,” inquired the punchers in unison, “is Luther Fox?”
“Yuh mean tuh say yuh never heerd tell uh Fox?”
“We’re plumb strangers, mister. Let’s have it. Both barrels.”
“He couldn’t help hearin’ them remarks,” mumbled the sheriff,
musing aloud. “Hmmm. ——’s tuh pay all around.”
“But you was goin’ to tell us about this Fox,” hinted Tad.
“Was I? I reckon not. I don’t talk to nobody about that gent.”
The sheriff’s tone was decisive.
Tad, glancing covertly at the old sheriff, caught a glimpse of
tightly clamped jaws. Beneath shaggy white brows, the sheriff’s
keen eyes smoldered with some inner fire. It was a dogged, sullen
look, strangely out of keeping with the general make up of the
grizzled law officer.
“Yuh don’t mean tuh say that ole scarecrow has yuh buffaloed?”
put in Shorty, wincing as Tad’s spur raked his shin with meaning
vigor.
 The sheriff turned on Shorty, eyes ablaze with hot resentment.
“Who said I was scared? Whoever told yuh that, lied. Lied, hear
me?”
The sheriff fairly trembled with fury. He seemed about to hit
Shorty with the .45 in his hand.
Tad, poised easily on the balls of his feet, clenched his big fist and
his practised eye picked the point where the well-placed blow would
put the sheriff to sleep. There was a look of resignation in the big
puncher’s eyes.
Then the sheriff, with an effort, regained control of himself and
turned from Shorty. Tad gave a sigh of relief. Striking an officer, even
in defense of his partner, was little to his liking.
The trio moved on in silence for some moments. Tad, meeting
Shorty’s eyes, gave his little partner a ferocious look. Shorty
squirmed uneasily.
“I’m askin’ yore pardon, Sheriff,” he said meekly. “I was jest tryin’
tuh be funny. It was a fool crack to make and I’m plumb sorry.”
His tone was sincere. The sheriff nodded his silent acceptance of
the apology.
“I reckon it’s shore gally uh me tuh be askin’ ary favors, Sheriff,”
Shorty put in as they halted before the padlocked door of the log
jail, “but would yuh kinda look after our hosses while me and Tad is
penned up?”
“Uh course,” agreed the sheriff. “Yore hosses will be took care of.
Yuh won’t be needin’ ’em where yo’re goin’. Better sell ’em tuh git
lawyer money.”
“Is it goin’ tuh be that bad?” asked Tad seriously.
“Wuss,” came the cryptic reply, and the two prisoners heard the
click of the padlock as the sheriff locked them in.
In dejected silence, the two listened to the receding tinkle of the
sheriff’s spurs.
“Well, my short-complected amigo, yuh shore done us proud this
day,” Tad broke the silence. “You and that hair-trigger temper uh
yourn kin shore git us into more trouble than ten judges and a herd
uh law sharps kin git us outa. Yuh mighta put off the show till after
we’d grazed some. I’m ga’ant as a dogie in the spring follerin’ a hard
winter.”
“And if I hadn’t took it up when that box-ankled shovel swinger
insulted us, we’d uh bin run outa town for a coupla uh
sheepherders. You was doin’ a heap uh yellin’ and so on, fer a gent
that hates fightin’. It was you that busted that purty, shiny window
by th’owin’ that drink mixer through it. Yuh mighta slung him out the
door, jest as easy, but no, yuh had tuh go bustin’ things. That glass’ll
set us back the price of ten good drunks and a reasonable fine. Got
ary terbaccer tuh go with this here brown paper, Ox?”
Tad handed over a thin sack with a pinch of tobacco in the
bottom.
“Gimme butts on ’er, runt. It’s the tailin’s uh the last sack uh what
was once a full caddy uh smokin. Fer which yo’re still owin’ me for
yore half uh the price. Say, what ails that sheriff, I wonder? He like
tuh busted a ham-string when yuh joshed him about that Fox feller.
Shorty, there’s somethin’ danged queer about the whole deal. Raisin’
a li’l’ ol’ ruckus in yonder saloon ain’t no penitentiary offense. The
way that ol’ sheriff took on, a man’d thought we’d killed a few folks.
Is them bars yonder solid?”
“Solid as rocks, Tad. Even if they was loose, we bin on short
grazin’ so long that we’re too weak to pry ’em loose. If the paint
hoss hadn’t got drowned crossin’ the Missouri and our beds and grub
got lost, we’d uh bin to the Wyomin’ line by now.”
“And if you and that overworked temper uh yourn hadn’t broke
out and run hog wild yesterday, we’d uh got a square meal and a job
with that outfit we struck at noon.”
“Work fer that spread after that black-muzzled wagon-boss asked
me was I expectin’ boy’s wages and could I hold down a hoss
wrangler’s job! I wisht yuh had let me finish workin’ that smart Aleck
over, Ox. I was jest gettin’ my second wind when yuh drug me off
him.”
“Say!”
 “Huh?” Shorty, startled by the vehemence of his partner’s
exclamation, turned from his inspection of the bars across the one
window. “What bit yuh?”
“I was jest rememberin’ that black-whiskered gent’s talk. Yuh
mind, Shorty? He says to us that Luther Fox don’t pay out good
money to undersized gents that can’t do a man’s work.”
“Man’s work! I showed him what a man——”
“Dry up. Fergit it. Yuh don’t foller my meanin’. Luther Fox must
own that cow outfit that Black Whiskers works for. Sabe?”
“Uh-huh. And supposin’ he does? What of it? Go on from there,
big ’un, and let’s see if yore words makes sense.”
“Well, from where I was settin’, that round-up looked like a big
spread. They was holdin’ a herd that a man couldn’t shoot across.
Looked like three hundred head uh hosses in their remuda. If this
Fox feller owns that outfit, he’s one danged big cowman, and son,
we shore set into a hard game if we’ve hurt the ol’ rannyhan’s
feelin’s. I don’t like the lay uh the land, Shorty; None whatsomever.
“If that ol’ wolf sets his mind to it, our hides’ll be hangin’ on the
fence afore mornin’. Yeah. And if him and his black-muzzled wagon
boss ever gits tuh makin’ medicine and the black gent ’lows we’re
the same parties that rode into his camp and raised a ruckus, me
and you is due tuh stretch some rope.”
“That big bohunk of a quartz wrangler’ll be rearin’ tuh work in the
lead uh sech a necktie party, too,” was Shorty’s wry comment.
“What’ll we do, Taddie? Shucks, I hates tuh stay bogged down here
till they come tuh hang us. I don’t have no —— of a lot uh
confidence in that ol’ sheriff feller, if it comes to a fight.”
“Yuh might uh done some heavy thinkin’ along them lines afore
yuh got us into all this, yuh fire-swallerin’ li’l’ ol’ rooster. Now gimme
butts on that smoke so’s I kin smudge some thoughts outa my
brain.”
 II

“‘Way up high in the Mokiones, among the mountain tops,

A lion cleaned a yearlin’s bones and licked his thankful chops;
When who upon the scene should ride, a trippin’ down the slope,
But High-Chin Bob of sinful pride and maverick-hungry rope.’”

Shorty’s voice, loud and high pitched, filled the small

cabin. For once, Tad found no fault with his partner’s
singing. This, because the sound of the singer’s voice
drowned out what noise Tad might be making as he
whittled doggedly at the pine log wherein the iron bars of the
window were embedded.
Shorty, eyes fixed on the heavy pine door, sang with the air of one
who does his duty in the face of great obstacles. Without missing a
note, he gathered in a handful of whittlings and shoved the shavings
under his hat, which lay on the floor. Then his toe poked Tad’s shin
with none too gentle contact and the whittling ceased. Shorty,
resuming his seat on the edge of the bunk, sang on, head tilted
upward, eyes half closed.
Thus the sheriff found them when he entered, bearing a heavily
laden tray.
They looked innocent enough, these two. Shorty, reclining on the
bunk, Tad gazing broodingly out between the rusty bars in an
attitude of silent dejection.
“Ten o’clock breakfast, Taddie.” Shorty thus broke off his song.
“Come and git it er I th’ow it away! Gosh a’mighty, Tad, it’s real
grub! Steak and ’taters and pie! Sheriff, yo’re a plumb white man!”
 The sheriff grinned and set the tray on the table. The grin gave
the old officer an almost benign appearance.
“Have at it cowboys, afore she gits cold. It’s the best I could
rustle at the Chink’s place. Yuh earned it, both uh yuh. My hat’s off
tuh ary two gents that kin clean up Alder Gulch on empty bellies and
with empty guns.”

“Yuh ain’t holdin’ no hard feelin’s?”

 “Not me. Joe Kipp ain’t that kind. Personal, it done me good tuh
see that big miner whupped. That —— bartender had it comin’ too.”
“Gosh!”
Tad swallowed a mouthful of food, washed it down with a swallow
of coffee and eyed the sheriff in mild surprise.
“’Pears tuh me like you’d had a sudden change uh mind, Sheriff.
Yuh acted plumb ringy when yuh nabbed us.”
“Folks was watchin’. The bartender had swore out a complaint and
with Fox a-watchin’, I had tuh go through.”
“Yuh mean this Luther Fox gent is after yore taw? He’s rearin’ tuh
jump yore frame?”
“Somethin’ like that. Him and me don’t waste no soft-spoke love
words on one another.”
He paused, scowling at the floor as if worrying out some problem.
“There’s more than a few gents on this range that’ll tell yuh I’m
scared uh Luther Fox and ‘Black Jack’,” he finished.
“Black Jack?”
“Fox’s wagon boss. Runs the LF spread.”
Tad and Shorty exchanged grins. “Black-whiskered gent? Eyes like
a Injun?”
Kipp nodded.
“You boys know him?”
“We come by the LF round-up. Yeah, we know him tuh look at.”
“Ain’t yuh the boys from the south?” inquired Kipp. “I see yuh
both ride double-rigged saddles and yore hosses pack strange
brands.”
“We’re from Texas fust, Arizona after barb wire run us outa our
home range. We come tuh Montana tuh close a deal that was
hangin’ fire. Wound up our deal and was headin’ fer our home range
when we loses our life’s gatherin’s in yore Missouri River. Pack hoss,
bed, money, grub, the hull works goes. Shorty’s paint hoss which
we’re packin’ makes a shore game fight, but ’twan’t no go. The
undercurrent ketches him and he goes under and don’t come up no
more.
 “I’d uh gone the same way only fer Shorty. Yuh see, me’n my
yaller hammer hoss bein’ brung up in a windmill country, we ain’t
neither of us used tuh water in sech big doses. Mebbeso I got
Yaller’s cinch too tight er he gits water in his ears er suthin’.
Anyways, he goes belly-up in the middle uh the crick and fer a spell
it looks like me’n him’s a-headin’ fast fer the Big Range.
“I’m a thinkin’ along them lines, as the feller says, when Shorty on
his Skewball pony, bustin’ that water like a side gougin’ steamboat,
jest nacherally ropes me, takes his winds and yanks me ashore.
Yaller drifts to a sand bar and wades out while Shorty bails the mud
and water outa me. Drunk er sober, my Shorty pard ain’t much tuh
look at, but there’s times when he shows good p’ints.”
“Shucks, Sheriff, don’t pay no mind tuh Tad,” grinned the self-
concious Shorty. “He shore likes the sound uh his own voice. If yuh
was tuh th’ow him and mouth him, yuh’d find his front teeth plumb
wore down. That comes from his havin’ his mouth open fer talkin’ so
much. The wind, a-blowin’ to and fro across his teeth, consequential,
has wore ’em down.”
The sheriff was beginning to like these two oddly mated partners
thoroughly. He moved across the floor to a chair. As he did so, he
accidentally moved Shorty’s hat, revealing the pile of whittlings.
Shorty manfully stepped into the breach.
Before the sheriff noticed, the little puncher had grabbed the
handful of shavings and shoved them into his mouth.
“Now swaller,” whispered Tad in an undertone, as he dropped his
neckscarf on the sill to cover the freshly whittled notch at the base
of the steel bar.
Shorty swallowed, choked, gasped and his tanned face grew
purple.
Tad, moving swiftly, promptly up-ended Shorty, thumping him on
the back with an unconcern that hinted of boredom. A wad of
mashed potatoes, well wadded with shavings, spewed forth and Tad
promptly kicked the sodden mass under the bunk.
“Will yuh hand me the water pitcher, Sheriff? Thanks. Now
irrigate, runt.”
 He held the pitcher to Shorty’s mouth and poured a generous
potion down the little puncher’s throat. Then, with a paternal air, he
sat Shorty on the edge of the bunk and loosened his collar.
“Ain’t I told yuh, time and again, not tuh swaller yore grub whole,
little ’un? Dang me if I can see how yuh ever growed up without
chokin’ tuh death.”
Tad turned to the sheriff with an apologetic grin.
“In spite uh all I tell him, that li’l’ varmint will wolf his grub. It
ain’t the fust time he’s choked down on me thataway. Onct, at a ice-
cream sociable down on the Gila, a brockle-faced school marm, a-
ketch-in’ him off his guard with a face full uh cake, ast him was his
hair nacherally curly afore it slipped and left him bald between the
horns. I’m out in the kitchen when the play comes up and he like
tuh perished complete afore I gits there. The fiddler, a-thinkin’ the
li’l’ cuss had th’owed a fit, empties a pailful uh pink lemonade on
him. I tips him upside down, knocks the hunk uh cake loose from
where it’s lodged between his buck teeth and his briskit, and the
show is over. We spends a good half-hour huntin’ the loose change
which drops outa his pocket durin’ the proceedin’s. I bin thinkin’
serious uh knockin’ his teeth out so’s he’d have tuh graze on mush
and sech light truck.”
“Aw, let a man be, Ox,” grinned Shorty, buttering his fourth
biscuit. “If yuh gotta run off at the head, tell about the time that
Hash-Knife hoss crow hopped with yuh and yore set uh store teeth
swapped ends and like tuh bit yore tongue off. Only for the hoss a-
pilin’ yuh into the sourdough pan, you’d uh gone through life without
a tongue. Yuh mind, Taddie, how that kettle-paunched ol’ cook run
yuh outa camp fer sp’ilin’ his batch uh bread dough? He’d uh
whittled yuh down tuh his size and whupped yuh, too, only I tripped
him up. There’s times when I wisht I’d let that ol’ grub sp’iler ketch
yuh.”
A shadow passed the window. The grin on Kipp’s face vanished.
“Here comes Fox,” he whispered. “Play yore cards keerful, boys.
Yuh whupped the best man he has in camp, Shorty. And he’s done
heard how Tad stood off his gang uh tough men with a empty gun.
Down in that black heart uh hisn, he respects nerve like yourn. He
may put yuh some kind of a proposition. Better consider keerful
afore yuh turn it down.
“He’s got yuh in a tight. He owns that saloon and the busted
window. Fact is, he owns the camp. Reckon I’d better let him in now.
He’s poundin’ out yonder fit tuh bust the door down.”
With a faint, uneasy smile, Kipp rose and unbolted the heavy
door.
Luther Fox entered with one long stride. His gimlet eyes were
fixed on the remains of the prisoner’s sumptuous dinner.
“Fancy victuals that you give your prisoners, Kipp,” he spoke in a
rasping, flat voice. “County payin’ for such grub?” Kipp’s eyes took
on a chilly look.
“I paid the chink outa my own pocket, Fox.”
Luther Fox’s thin lips twitched at the corners. It may have been
meant for a smile. Devoid of mirth, it seemed to accentuate the
cruelty that lurked behind the pale-gray eyes.
“I want that I should be left alone with these two men, Kipp.
Clear out.”
It was the command of a man who was accustomed to being
obeyed.
Tad, watching Kipp closely, saw the sheriff’s mouth tighten so as
to leave the lips a bloodless, crooked line. For a long moment the
officer and the cow man held each other’s gaze.
“Fox,” said Kipp, measuring his words with deliberate slowness,
“I’m sheriff here. This jail is county property. I leave here when I get
—— ready. If yo’re aimin’ tuh smell powder smoke, go fer yore gun.”
Fox’s upper lip lifted, revealing long, crooked, yellow teeth. They
made the man hideous. His long fingers patted the butt of an ivory-
handled .45 that swung in a tied holster, low down on his thigh.
“Whenever I pull my gun, Kipp, this county will be in line for a
new sheriff. However, it’s bad luck to kill an officer of the law. Our
quarrel will keep without spoilin’. I’ll word my wishes differently. I’d
like a few minutes pow-wow with your prisoners, Sheriff Kipp. Will
you be so kind as to grant so great a favor?”
 His long frame bent at the waistline in a mocking bow. Rumor had
it that Luther Fox, in his youth, had been a New England
schoolmaster. Like rust corroding a steel blade, frontier contact had
well nigh obliterated the polish that belonged to that former life.
Occasionally it was visible, usually in the form of sarcasm.
Kipp, with a visible effort, fought down the hot rage that surged
up inside him. He turned on his heel and walked to the door. Without
a backward glance he closed the door behind him.

Inside the jail, Tad and Shorty looked up with curious

gaze at Fox and waited for him to break the silence that
followed Kipp’s departure. Fox’s lips were again twitching
at the corners. Otherwise, his expression did not change.
“Well, what have you two got to say for yourselves?” he asked
finally.
Long legs far apart, bony fingers twisting in a knot behind his
back, he glanced coldly at the two punchers.
“It don’t look to me like it was our ante,” Tad grinned easily. “The
sheriff tells us yo’re holdin’ the joker.”
“Exactly. The way the play stands, I can either make or break you
two.”
He paused.
“Spread yore cards, mister.”
Tad forestalled the silence that Fox had anticipated, a silence
during which he had expected to watch these two cow punchers
squirm.
A frown of annoyance brought his reddish brows together. He had
rather expected to find the prisoners afraid and eager to please him.
Instead, both were grinning as if they enjoyed the situation.
“Very well,” he snapped. “I give you your choice. Either you go to
the penitentiary or on the LF payroll.”
“Penitentiary?” said Tad slowly. “Since when has it got tuh be a
penitentiary offense tuh mix in a two-bit saloon fight?”
 “Assault with a deadly weapon means a stretch in the big house,”
smiled Fox. “Crossing Luther Fox, you may find, is even a worse
crime.”
“Yuh mean you’ll railroad us, eh?” said Tad evenly. He seemed to
be musing aloud. “Yeah, I reckon yuh could. Me’n my li’l’ pard is
strangers in a strange land and plumb broke. Yeah, reckon yuh could
do it, mister. Now supposin’ we take yuh up on the other
proposition? Jest what kind uh work do yuh aim that me and Shorty
should do tuh earn our pay? I might as well tell yuh now, Fox, our
guns ain’t fer hire, if that’s yore game.”
“The job I have in mind for you two is legitimate and within the
law,” said Fox. “A rancher named Hank Basset owes me money. I
hold his note for ten thousand dollars which falls due next week. It
will be your job to ride to his ranch and collect that ten thousand
dollars, in cash or steers. Since the man is broke, the payment will
be made by turning over to me five hundred head of steers at
twenty dollars per head.”
“Mighty cheap cattle,” grunted Shorty. Fox shrugged.
“Mebbeso. That’s beside the question. I am waiting for your
answer and it ain’t healthy, as a rule, to keep Luther Fox waiting.”
Fox fished a long stogie from his pocket, repaired its broken
wrapper with a cigaret paper and set fire to it. His little eyes
surveyed them through the haze of blue smoke. Tad turned to
Shorty.
“Supposin’ we leave it to the sheriff to decide fer us, pardner?”
“Suits me, Tad.”
Luther Fox’s eyes became pin-points of glittering gray through the
smoke haze. His head thrust forward on a skinny neck, he peered at
the two punchers. A sinister, hate-lined face, unchanging in
expression. Behind his back, the long, bony fingers intertwined until
the joints cracked.
“—— old buzzard,” was Shorty’s inward comment.
Without a word, Fox turned and strode to the door. He swung it
open and shoved his head outside.
“Come in here, Kipp,” he snapped. “You’re wanted.”
 Kipp, a stub of cigaret sticking from the corner of his mouth, rose
from his squatting posture against the log wall of the jail.
“Fox wants me’n Shorty tuh collect a bad debt from a gent named
Hank Basset,” said Tad, coming to the point. “We ’lowed we’d leave
it up tuh you.”
Kipp nodded.
“Kinda figgered he might pick you boys fer the job. Take him up
on it.”
“We’re obliged to yuh, Sheriff,” grinned Tad. “Mister Fox, yuh done
hired two hands.”
Again the twitching at the corners of Luther Fox’s thin lips.
“Get your guns from Kipp and pull out. I heard your six-shooters
were empty. You’ll find ammunition a-plenty in your saddle pockets.
Likewise a Winchester apiece, in your saddle scabbards. Here’s an
order on Basset for the steers.”
He held out a folded paper. Tad shoved it in his vest pocket. Fox
turned to the sheriff.
“Kipp, these two men are now on my payroll. The charges against
them are dropped. Give ’em their guns and let ’em go. They’re
wasting LF time here and they have a long ride ahead. If you have
any message for Hank Basset, carry it yourself, understand? My men
are paid to carry out my orders, not to deliver your messages. I
think, Kipp, that you savvy what I’m driving at, even if these men
don’t.”
“I savvy, Fox,” returned the sheriff evenly, as he handed Tad and
Shorty their guns. He ushered them outside.
“Boys,” he said, ignoring Fox, “I loaded both yore guns. Five shells
in each six-gun, leavin’ a empty chamber under the hammers. When
yuh ride away from Alder Gulch, jest remember this; them is good,
honest ca’tridges, bought with clean, honest money. So-long and
good luck.”
Kipp nodded a brief farewell and reentering the jail, swung the
door closed behind him.
Tad and Shorty gave each other a puzzled look, then followed the
scowling Fox toward the livery barn.
 In the corral adjoining the barn were their private horses,
saddled. Also six more horses and a pack mule, the latter bearing a
bed covered by a new tarpaulin.
“That gives you three mounts apiece beside your privates,” Fox
explained. “You’ll help Basset gather those steers. Use your own
judgment about any difficulties that come up, the same as any
regular ‘rep’ would do. One week from tomorrow, I’ll meet you at
the lone cottonwood on Rock Creek and receive the cattle. I don’t
want either of you to forget that you’re drawin’ LF pay, and top
wages at that. You’ll govern yourselves accordingly.”
“Uh-huh,” grinned Tad. “Top wages, Fox, but not fightin’ wages.
Me and my pardner is peaceful fellers lessen we gits tromped on. We
don’t travel none on our shapes ner lead-slingin’ qualities. We ain’t
wanted no place fer no crime and we don’t figger on leavin’ this
country with a posse follerin’ us. We’ll gather them steers, but we
won’t fight none tuh hold ’em. I bin punchin’ cows long enough tuh
know that there’s a nigger in the woodpile somewheres on this deal
er you’d either gather them steers yorese’f er send some uh yore
regular hands tuh do the job. We taken the sheriff’s say-so about
hirin’ out and we’ll see the play through to the last card, but we ain’t
doin’ no dirty jobs fer no man, mister.”
Tad had swung aboard his horse and sat slouched in the saddle,
watching Fox.
“Get the cattle and I’ll be satisfied,” replied Fox. “Yonder’s the
trail. Basset’s home ranch lays at the foot of that hazy peak. You
should make it by daylight tomorrow. Follow this trail till you come to
the lone cottonwood, where the trail forks. Take the right hand trail.”
Shorty swung open the pole gate and Tad hazed the horses into
the open.
Legs spread far apart, hands clenched behind his back, Luther Fox
stood in the dusty trail and watched them out of sight. Once more
the corners of his cruel mouth twitched oddly. As he watched the
rapidly fading dust cloud that hid the partners, his eyes glittered with
a look of cunning.
 III

“I dunno jest why, Tad,” Shorty broke the silence, “but I

shore feel sorry fer that Kipp gent. He’s right old tuh be
pestered by a skunk like Fox. His nerves ain’t so steady
as they once was. I seen his hand shake when he called
Fox’s hand. A man can’t do good shootin’ when his hand shakes,
Tad.”
“He’d a played his string out though, Shorty. Even when he
knowed Fox ’ud beat him to the draw. Kipp’s game, and I reckon
that’s why we kinda cottoned to him. Besides, he shore fed us good.
I’m wonderin’ what he meant by sayin’ he’d put honest ca’tridges in
our guns? Reckon we’re nosin’ into a range war? Danged if we don’t
git into more jams than a burglar. Yonder’s the lone cottonwood.”
The sun had just set and the rolling hills were bathed in the
subdued afterglow. The greasewood flat beyond took on the
appearance of a dark-green carpet. Distant peaks reflected the last
rays of the sun. A covey of sage hens whirred from the brush in
front of the horses, then dropped out of sight. Tad and Shorty pulled
up in front of the giant cottonwood, eyes fixed on a rudely lettered
sign nailed to the wide trunk, a sign riddled with bullets.
Warning to LF men. This here tree is my north
boundry. The line runs due west to Squaw Butte. Ary
Fox man that crosses that line will be huntin’ trouble
and he’ll shore find it. HANK BASSET.
Tad waved a hand toward the sign.
 “Yonder’s the reason why me and you are picked fer the steer-
gatherin’ job, runt. I knowed there was a ace hid up Fox’s sleeve.
What do yuh say, pard? Do we turn back from here er go through
with it?”
“We done hired out fer the job, Tad. Let’s play our string out.
Shucks, I’d hate tuh be bluffed out by ary sign.”
Tad nodded thoughtfully.
“Kipp aimed that we should go through. There’s more to this play
than a bad debt, and I’m right curious tuh turn the next page. Haze
that hammer-headed, pack-slippin’ mule on to the trail and we’ll git
goin’, pardner. I’m rearin’ tuh git a squint at this here Basset
hombre, providin’ he ain’t linin’ his sights on my briskit. Likewise, li’l’
’un, bear this in mind. Don’t go clawin’ fer no gun iffen we gits
jumped. Set tight and lemme augur ’em some. We ain’t crossin’ this
dead-line tuh burn powder. If it comes to the wust and there’s no
other way outa the tight, we takes our own parts like gentlemen. We
ain’t huntin’ no trouble and, on the other hand, we ain’t stoppin’ no
soft-nosed bullets with our carcasses if we kin keep from it. And git
a tail holt on yore ingrowed temper, sabe? The fust sign I reads uh
you comin’ to a boil and buckin’ yore cover off, I knocks yuh
between the horns. Hear me, runt?”
“Yeah. I hear yuh. Yo’re bellerin’ fit tuh be heard a mile. I ain’t
growed deef on this trip. Fer a forty dollar a month cow hand, yuh
shore kin git shet of a heap uh advice. I’ll remind yuh about it when
yo’re yellin’ fer me tuh pull this Basset feller off yuh. Git along,
mule.”
Hours passed and the moon rose. If the future held any fear for
these two followers of the dim trails, they gave no sign. Shorty rode
in the lead, picking the trail. Sometimes he sang and as the words of
the lament drifted back to Tad, the lanky puncher grinned his
appreciation and hummed an off-key accompaniment. Now and then
they dozed, heads swaying gently with the movements of their
horses. Innumerable cigarets were rolled, smoked and the butts
pinched out. Thus the night wore on and the first streak of dawn
found them halted before a pole gate.
 Beyond the gate, lining the near-by creek, were innumerable tall
cottonwoods. A thin spiral of smoke lifted from the chimney of a
hidden cabin. Twenty feet beyond the gate was a buck-brush thicket.
Not a sound broke the quiet of the morning.
Shorty leaned in his saddle to pluck forth the wooden pin that
held the gate closed. A moment later he straightened.
“She’s locked with a stay chain and padlock, Tad,” he called softly.
“Reckon we better call out afore we goes further with the game.
Haloooooo!”
He raised his voice in a wolf-like howl. Followed a moment of
silence. Then, in an ordinary tone of voice that caused both
punchers to jump with surprise, a man called from the brush patch:
“Hello yoreself. Jest set where yuh be till we looks yuh over a
spell. Keep the little ’un covered with the shotgun, Ma.”
“I’ll make a sieve outa him if he makes ary move, Hank. ’Tend to
the big feller. Know either of ’em?”
“Nope. Light’s too dim yet tuh read the brands on their hosses but
ain’t that paint hoss the LF hoss we seen in town last week?”
“—— a’mighty, Tad,” groaned Shorty in an uneasy voice. “Start a
talkin’ afore we’re killed complete.”
“We’re plum peaceful, mister,” called Tad. “That’s a LF hoss and so
is the others, but hold yore fire. We come here tuh——”
“To finish robbin’ honest folks, eh?” snapped a feminine voice that
carried the sharp edge of a newly whetted knife. “LF men, eh? Come
to do the dirty work of that pole cat, Luther Fox! Gun toters, by the
looks of yuh. You seen the sign on the cottonwood?”
“Yes’m, but we ain’t——”
“Shetup! Quit interruptin’ a lady. Hank, watch that big gent, he’s
got a mean eye. Dim as the light is, I kin see it. You there, little
feller, keep them hands where they belongs. There’s eighteen
buckshot in both these barrels and I’m takin’ a rest across this
boulder. Come to git them cattle that’s due Fox?”
“Yes’m. But we ain’t cravin’ no trouble ma’am, leastways, not with
women-folks. Joe Kipp, the sheriff, ’lowed that we should come.”
 “Huh!” snorted the hidden lady. “And what under the sun and
seven stars has that old sage hen got to say about it? If Kipp had
the gumption of a rabbit, he’d run the hull LF pack outa the country.
He’s stood by like a lump on a log and seen a pore ol’ couple git
robbed uh their eye teeth, and never once raised a finger to stop it.
He don’t dast set foot on the place, he’s that ashamed uh hisself fer
——”
“Hush, Ma,” cut in the voice of Hank Basset. “Joe done his best by
us. His hands is tied, drat it, the same as ours is. Now, big feller,
how come that Joe Kipp ’lowed that you should come here? Don’t try
no lyin’ er we turns loose these shotguns. Yuh read the sign on the
cottonwood and me’n ma is within’ our rights when we shoots. Git
tuh talkin’, dang yuh.”
“Me’n my li’l’ pardner is strangers, Basset, and we ain’t takin’ up
no man’s fight fer him. Kipp done told us tuh take Fox up on it, when
Fox give us the offer uh the job. We was in jail at the time and the
ol’ buzzard was aimin’ tuh cold-deck us into the pen, savvy? It was
either take this job er go over the road fer a few years. We ain’t
doin’ dirty work fer no man, mister. We’re cow hands, me and Shorty
is, not gun-toters. We come here peaceful and we stays thataway,
lessen we’re crowded bad.
“If I was a gun man, Basset, and was aimin’ tuh th’ow lead in
yore direction, I’d be doin’ it now. That there bush yo’re a squattin’
behind ain’t so thick as she might be. I kin see yuh plain. Yuh’d orter
pick a boulder fer shelter.”
A muffled curse and cracking of twigs came from the brush as
Hank Basset shifted his position. Tad’s eyes followed the moving
brush tops. His ruse had worked. He now knew where the cow man
crouched. Shorty grinned his approval at Tad’s clever lying.
“Good guessin’, Taddie. Now shoo that there settin’ hen of a
female from her nest and we’ll feel easier,” he whispered. “If it
comes to the wust, we gotta run. We can’t noways shoot no female
women. I might try a pot shot at Basset.”
“Hush up, runt.” Then, in a louder tone. “I said my say, Basset.
She goes as she lays. We ain’t burnin’ no powder here ner elsewhere
fer Luther Fox. Yo’re the doctor, sabe? If we’re messin’ into ary range
war er such, we’ll go back the way we come, with our guns in the
scabards, and leave the job tuh them that wants it. From what I
seen of the LF hands, there’s plenty of ’em that’ll take it. There’s our
proposition, Basset. Take it er leave it.”
There was a long silence, broken only by whispering between the
cow man and his wife. Then the answer came from behind the
boulder in the voice of Ma Basset.
“Shed yore guns and light. As long as we gotta be pestered with
LF men, it’d as well be you two as them others. Keerful how you
handle yore hands while yo’re coming through the fence. Keep to
the middle of the wagon road that leads to the house. Hank and
me’ll have yuh covered, every step.”
Tad and Shorty exchanged a quick look. Tad nodded briefly.
“Shed the cannon, pard, and we’ll take her up.”
They tossed their guns to the ground, swung from the saddle and
approached with their hands in the air. The presence of a woman
caused Shorty to blush confusedly, but Tad seemed to rather enjoy
the situation. Once through the barbed-wire fence, they kept to the
road. A bend in the road brought them in view of the buildings.

The sun was just rising and both cowpunchers gazed in

surprise at the scene spread before them. Low walled,
log buildings, the sod roofs covered with green grass and
wild mustard. Well-built horse corrals, branding shute
and branding pen beyond. A well-irrigated alfalfa patch, blooming
and ripe for cutting. A small blacksmith shop surrounded by mowers,
rakes, and two round-up wagons. Everything neat and orderly, rare
indeed, for a cattle ranch.
The ranch house and adjacent bunk house were whitewashed,
and climbing the walls were masses of morning glories. Wild rose
bushes, pink blossoms wet with the early morning dew, lined the
gravel walk that led to the doors. All around were the tall
cottonwoods.
 “Gosh!” whispered Shorty, and removed his hat.
Tad followed suit. They halted on the threshold of the open door,
carefully wiping their feet on the burlap sack mat. Tad sniffed the
warm air that came from the kitchen.
From the service-berry brush behind the cowpunchers, stepped
the oddly mated couple with their shotguns.
Hank Basset, shorter by six inches and lighter by some eighty
pounds than his wife, was clad in faded flannel shirt and freshly
laundered, neatly patched overalls. Slightly bent over, tanned the
color of an old saddle, a bald patch showing in the center of his
silvery hair, he was anything but warlike in appearance. His mild blue
eyes twinkled with humor, but there was a look about his straight
mouth and square chin that told of hidden determination and a
fearless spirit if he were roused.
Ma Basset, red of cheek, her well-combed, abundance of gray hair
glistening in the morning sun, was as neat as her rose bushes, and
as fresh looking, in her red-and-white checked gingham. Despite the
scowl that furrowed her wide brow, there was everything in her
make-up to denote a generous, mothering personality. A bit stout, to
be sure, but her step was firm and alert and her bare arms were
more muscular than fat. A woman of the pioneer stock, ranch born
and raised. As much at home in the saddle as in her immaculate
kitchen, a fair example of the cattle man’s wife whose courage and
sacrifice has played so important a role in the building of the West.
Even as her mother before her had fought Indians, so now, did Ma
Basset wield her sawed-off shotgun in defense of her home.
Suddenly Tad sprang forward into the open door of the kitchen.
“Coffee’s b’ilin’ over!” he bellowed over his shoulder.
Shorty, left on the threshold, shoved his aching arms higher in the
air and gazed with agonized eyes into the twin barrels of Ma Basset’s
raised shotgun.
Tad now appeared in the doorway, holding aloft the steaming
coffee pot as proof of his good intentions.
“—— a’mighty, yuh big lummox,” groaned Shorty. “Yuh like tuh
got me killed.”
 There was that in the appearance of the two partners to cause
even the stoniest hearted to smile. Shorty, his swollen eye a sickly
green, tanned face perspiring and red from suppressed emotion and
embarrassment, gazing beseechingly at his partner. Tad, his homely,
rough-hewn features wreathed in an infectious grin, holding aloft the
huge granite-ware coffee pot.
“Shucks, Hank,” muttered Ma Basset in an undertone of relief,
“them two boys ain’t no badmen. Why that pore little feller is nigh
scared tuh death. Don’t suppose he ever hurt a livin’ thing in his hull
life. My gracious but that big ’un did give me a start when he tore
into the house thataway. I was sure certain he was aimin’ to make a
fight of it. Lawzee!”
The elderly couple did not relax their vigilance, however, until
breakfast was well on its way.
Tad, with his unaffected, loquacious manner, did much to quell
suspicion. He insisted on putting on an apron and helping with the
breakfast, all the while keeping up an aimless chatter with the lady
of the house. More than often he had her chuckling gaily.
Shorty, in the front room with Hank, told a straightforward story
of their sojourn in Alder Gulch.
“Yuh mean that you whupped that big miner by yoreself? Why,
Fox claims that big hunkie is a ex-prize fighter!”
Shorty shrugged.
“I dunno about that, mister. If he’s a pug, he’s a pore ’un. You’d
uh died laffin’ tuh see Tad a-holdin’ off that gang with a empty gun.”
“And you boys ain’t fightin’ fer Luther Fox?”
“Mister,” said Shorty solemnly, “when me and Tad draws our
shootin’ irons, we does it because somebody’s crowdin’ us er our
friends, bad. We’re aimin’ tuh go back tuh Arizony some day and we
got friends down there that we want tuh look square in the eyes,
sabe?”
“Breakfast is about ready,” called Ma Basset from the doorway.
Hank and Shorty got to their feet.
“Ma’am,” said Shorty, flushing hotly, “our hosses is outside the
fence yonder. My grub ’ud plumb choke me if I was tuh set down to
the table afore I’d took care uh my Skewball hoss. Tad, I reckon,
feels the same about his Yaller Hammer hoss. He’d ’a’ said so hisse’f
only he’s a-tormentin’ me by makin’ me axe yuh, kin we be excused
while we ’tends to ’em. The big walloper pesters me continual when
there’s women folks around.”
Shorty was the color of an Indian blanket by now. Tad, grinning
widely, winked at Hank.
“Tush, son,” smiled Ma Basset. “Now don’t you pay no attention to
him. He’d orter be ashamed uh hisself, tormentin’ a boy half his size.
You boys hurry on now and tend to yore ponies. The key to the gate
hangs on a nail on the gate post. Unsaddle and turn yore hosses
into the pasture. There’s blue-joint grass and water a-plenty there.
I’ll put the biscuits and eggs in the warmin’ oven. Hurry, now.”
Five minutes later there came the sound of splashing water. Ma
Basset, looking out the kitchen window, nodded her approval.
“They’re washin’-up at the bunkhouse, Hank,” she whispered.
“Those boys has had raisin’.”
“When a man sets down to his grub afore he’s took care uh his
hoss, watch out fer him,” added Hank. “I was a-waitin’ tuh see if
they was goin’ tuh let their animals wait. It don’t take no smart gent
tuh see that they’re as different from the other LF riders as a
gentleman is different from a sheep herder. I bin thinkin’, Ma, mebbe
so them two boys kin help us. They’re kinda like home folks, sorter.”
“Help us?”
Ma Basset shoved a second pan of biscuits in the oven and closed
the door thoughtfully. Then she straightened.
“Help us, Hank? I’m afeered not. The cattle’s gone, that’s all.
They’re good boys, like as not, but they can’t make a herd uh cattle
outa a handful uh sore-footed cows and wind-bellied calves. No,
we’re beat and beat bad. But we ain’t hollerin’, neither of us. If only
our Pete boy was back home, I’d feel as chipper as a meadow lark.
But the thought uh him cooped up in a prison cell, kinda takes the
warm feelin’ outa the sunshine, somehow.”
Tears glistened in her eyes. She seated herself on a chair and
dabbed at the tears with the corner of her apron. Hank crossed over
to her and put an arm about her shoulders.
Tad and Shorty had removed their spurs at the bunkhouse. They
made but little noise as they came to the door and halted to wipe
the dust from their boots. They could not help but see what went on
inside the kitchen. Embarrassed, they looked at each other in
silence.
“Our Pete sent over the road by that low-down LF spread, our
cattle run off and a ten-thousand-dollar note due next week,” came
the voice of Hank Basset whose back was toward the cowpunchers.
“It’s hard lines fer folks as old as us, Ma. But we ain’t licked yet. I
kin still hold down a job punchin’ cows.”
“And I kin beat ary round-up cook that ever burned a batch uh
beans er turned a mess wagon over,” added Ma Basset bravely. “Yuh
mind that fall when I cooked fer the outfit, Hank, and drove two
broncs fer wheelers? I can do it again, too.”
Tad, a vise-like grip on his partner’s arm, backed quietly away
from the door. On tiptoe they retreated to the bunkhouse. Then,
with careless step and a whistle coming discordantly from Tad’s
pursed lips, they again approached the kitchen.
Ma Basset’s eyes showed faint signs of redness and Hank seemed
somewhat ill at ease. He led them back into the front room.
“Biscuits ain’t quite done,” he explained, waving the two punchers
to chairs.
He moved stealthily to a cupboard and reached a hand in behind
the curtain. It came forth holding a brown bottle.
“Ma keeps it fer snake bite,” he whispered. “Have a nip?”
But before he could hand the bottle to the expectant Shorty, an
approaching step sounded from the kitchen. Hank deftly slid the
bottle back behind the curtain, a second before his wife appeared in
the doorway.
In Ma Basset’s hand was a piece of raw beefsteak and a strip of
cloth.
“Fer your eye,” she told Shorty, and forthwith tied the piece of
meat over the swollen and discolored member.
 “Your pardner was a-tellin’ me how you fell off your hoss and
bunged that eye up,” she smiled, standing aside to survey the
bandage critically.
“Hoss th’owed me?” returned Shorty dazedly. “Shucks, I——”
“Nothin’ to be ashamed of,” she replied. “There ain’t a bronc rider
livin’ that ain’t got it some time er another.”
“Never was a rider that never got th’owed,” chanted Tad, trying in
vain to catch his partner’s eye. “Never was a bronc that never got
rode,” he finished the rime.
But Shorty did not see. Hank was shifting uneasily in his rawhide-
bottomed chair. He too, seemed to be trying to convey a silent
message of some sort to Shorty.
“But, ma’am, I——”
“Ma, ain’t them biscuits a burnin’?” Hank was sniffing the air like a
hound scenting a fox. Ma, her thoughts diverted to the bread, made
her way hastily to the kitchen.
Hank’s hand darted to the cupboard and the bottle of whisky
came forth once more. This time it went the rounds. Hank replaced
the cork and the bottle vanished behind the curtain.
“Now, Ox,” growled Shorty. “How come yuh lied about this here
eye?”
“Miz Basset ’lowed that them as mixed up in saloon fights was
mighty low-down sorter humans, sabe? Tuh keep yuh from bein’
disgraced, I lied a mite about that black eye that miner hung on
yuh.”
“Ma is plumb sot ag’in’ fightin’,” added Hank. “I aimed tuh wise
yuh up, but it kinda slipped my mind. Onct, when I gits tangled up in
a nice quiet scrap and shows up with a swole-up jaw, Ma kinda
quarantined me off and I et, slept and subsisted, as the sayin’ goes,
in the blacksmith shop. One uh the boys toted my grub to me.
Doggone, she was on the prod. She don’t paw the earth ner beller
loud ner bend no rollin’ pins across a man’s withers. No, sir. She jest
swells up like a buck Injun, gits proud and haughty and kinda looks
a feller over like he was lower than a sheep herder.”
 Shorty was not cheered by this bit of news. Ma Basset summoned
them to breakfast at this juncture and the little puncher inwardly
writhed with the burden of a guilty conscience. Pangs of hunger
conquered, however, and he ate as heartily as Tad.
Welcome to our website – the ideal destination for book lovers and
knowledge seekers. With a mission to inspire endlessly, we offer a
vast collection of books, ranging from classic literary works to
specialized publications, self-development books, and children's
literature. Each book is a new journey of discovery, expanding
knowledge and enriching the soul of the reade

Our website is not just a platform for buying books, but a bridge
connecting readers to the timeless values of culture and wisdom. With
an elegant, user-friendly interface and an intelligent search system,
we are committed to providing a quick and convenient shopping
experience. Additionally, our special promotions and home delivery
services ensure that you save time and fully enjoy the joy of reading.

Let us accompany you on the journey of exploring knowledge and

personal growth!

ebooknice.com