Charles Bickford credited as playing...
Maj. Henry Terrill
- Major Henry Terrill: What do you want, Hannassey?
- Rufus Hannassey: I'm just payin' back the call you and your men made on my home this mornin'. Sorry I wasn't there to give you the proper welcome.
- Major Henry Terrill: Let him speak his piece.
- Rufus Hannassey: Take it easy, boy. I've got me somethin' to say: it's about thirty years overdue. This is a mighty fine house, Major Terrill: a gentleman's house. Those are mighty fine clothes your wearin'. Well, maybe you've got some of these folks fooled, but you ain't got me fooled, not by a damn sight! The Hannassey's know and admire a real gentleman when they see one, and they recognize a high tone skunk when they smell one. Now, I'm not here complainin' about twenty of your brave men who beat three of my boys 'til they couldn't stand. Maybe they had it comin'. Anyways, they're full growed and can take their lickin's. And I'm not here complainin' because I know that you're tryin' to buy the Big Muddy to keep my cows from water. Though it galls me sore to see the granddaughter of a genuine gentleman like Glenn Maragon under this roof. I'll tell you why I'm here, Major Terrill! When you come a-ridin' roughshod over my land scarin' the kids and the women folks, when you invade my home, like you was the law or God Almighty, then I say to you, I've seen every kind of critter God ever made, and I ain't never seen a meaner, lower, more stinkin', yellow, hyprocrite than you! Now you can swallow up a lot of folks and make 'em like it, but you ain't swallowin' me. I'm stuck in your craw, Henry Terrill, and you can't spit me out! You hear me now! You rode into my place and beat my men for the last time and I give you warnin'. You set foot in Blanco Canyon once more and this country's gonna run red with blood 'til there ain't one of us left! Now I don't hold mine so precious, so if you want to start, here, start now! What's the matter? Can't you shoot a man a-facin' ya? I'll make it easy fer ya. Here's my back.
- Major Henry Terrill: If there's anything I admire more than a dedicated friend, it is a dedicated enemy.
- Major Terrill: There's no prettier sight in the world than 10,000 head of cattle... unless it's 50,000.
- Major Henry Terrill: This is the west, Jim, a man is still expected to defend himself. If he allows people to think he won't, he's in trouble. Bad trouble.
- Major Henry Terrill: The Hannasseys are trash. There's no other word for it, they're trash. Thy're as prolific as animals and they live like animals. Rufus, the head of the clan, is something out of the stone age. They live like a pack of wild dogs up in Blanco Canyon. The eldest of the litter, Buck, you've met. They're a pest, a plague. Like Sodom and Gomorrah. Be a blessing for this country if the flood would wipe them off the face of the earth.
- Steve Leech: Major, we haven't heard a single shot out of there. Do you suppose McKay could've gotten through?
- Major Henry Terrill: Well, that's no concern of ours. What's the matter with you? Come on.
- Steve Leech: This is bound to cost us half our men anyway. What if it's not necessary?
- Major Henry Terrill: Well, what did you expect, a taffy pull? If it was anybody but you, I'd think you were scared.
- Steve Leech: Suppose he's riding outta there with her right now, and we start a lot of shooting? I'd walk into hell after you, Major. You know that. Not much you could ask, I wouldn't try to do. I just don't hold with you on this. I just can't do it, Major. I can't!
- Major Henry Terrill: By damn, you *are* yellow.
- Steve Leech: [Removes hat] You call me whatever you want. But, I'm not beating up any more men for you. I'm not running off any more cattle or shooting any more Hannasseys for you. You ride on in there if you want to. I'm finished.
- Major Henry Terrill: You're finished, all right. I don't need you on this trip. All right, men, mount up!
- Major Henry Terrill: [pause] I said, mount up.
- Major Henry Terrill: [No response] I see. I'm all alone in this. All right. I've been alone before!
- [Rides away]
- Major Terrill: Where do you think you're going?
- James McKay: I'm going into Blanco Canyon.
- Major Terrill: That's a fine place for a man who goes out of his way to avoid a fight. What business do you have in Blanco Canyon?
- James McKay: Miss Maragon is being held in there. I have reason to think I can bring her out without any violence.
- Major Terrill: You're not going in there, McKay.
- James McKay: That's for me to decide.
- Major Terrill: [Draws pistol] I'm telling you for the last time. You're staying here.
- James McKay: I'm going in. If you want to stop me, you'll have to use that. But, if you shoot me down, let's have it clear in front of all these men. You're not here to get Julie Maragon out! You're just using this as an excuse to start your own private war.
- Major Henry Terrill: If a guest can't come to my house without being attacked by drunken rowdies, it's about time something was done about it.