Ryker quotes from Shane (1953)

Howdy Starrett.

Morgan

'specting trouble?

I don't want no trouble, Starrett. I came to inform ya. I got that beef contract for the reservation.

Joe

Did it take this many of you to tell me that?

I mean business.

Joe

Then you tend to your own.

That's just what I'm doing! I'm telling ya now, I'm gonna need all my range.

Joe

Now that you've warned me, would you mind gettin' off my place?

Your place! You're gonna have to get out before the snow flies.

Joe

And supposin' I don't?

You and the other squatters...

Joe

Homesteaders, you mean, don't you?

I could blast you out of here right now, you and the others.

Joe

Now you listen to me, the time for gun-blastin' a man off of his own place is past. Why, they're building a penitentiary right now...

Joe, that's enough.

Morgan

Who are you, stranger?

Shane

I'm a friend of Starrett's.

Morgan

Alright. Alright. I'll open the gate for ya.

Joe

Who goes there?

Morgan

Brother Rufe's come to pay you a little visit.

Howdy, Starrett. 'Evening, Ma'am. I had something I wanted to talk over with you Starrett.

Joe

Whatever business you and I got we can say it right here.

I'll just lay it on the barrel-head then. How'd you like to work for me?

Joe

I work for myself. I've done enough working for others.

Wait till I tell ya. I'll pay ya top wages, more than you can make on this patch of ground.

Joe

Nope. I'm not interested.

I haven't said it all. You can run your cattle with mine. What's more I'll buy your homestead. Set a price you think is reasonable, you'll find me reasonable. Is that fair?

Joe

You've made things pretty hard for us, Ryker, and us in the right all the time.

Right? You in the right! Look, Starrett. When I come to this country, you weren't much older than your boy there. We had rough times, me and other men that are mostly dead now. I got a bad shoulder yet from a Cheyenne arrowhead. We made this country. Found it and we made it. We worked with blood and empty bellies. The cattle we brought in were hazed off by Indians and rustlers. They don't bother you much anymore because we handled 'em. We made a safe range out of this. Some of us died doin' it but we made it. And then people move in who've never had to rawhide it through the old days. They fence off my range, and fence me off from water. Some of 'em like you plow ditches, take out irrigation water. And so the creek runs dry sometimes and I've got to move my stock because of it. And you say we have no right to the range. The men that did the work and ran the risks have no rights? I take you for a fair man, Starrett.

Joe

I'm not belittlin' what you and the others did. At the same time, you didn't find this country. There was trappers here and Indian traders long before you showed up and they tamed this country more than you did.

They weren't ranchers.

Joe

You talk about rights. You think you've got the right to say that nobody else has got any. Well, that ain't the way the government looks at it.

I didn't come to argue. I made you a fair proposition.

Joe

What about the others?

Shane already knows he can work for me anytime.

Joe

The other homesteaders.

Look, be reasonable! After all, there's only so many hands in a deck of cards.

Joe

Then I've got to say no.

You don't give a man much choice do you, Starrett? [to Joey] How do you feel about it, son? Wouldn't you like to go partners with me? I don't want trouble with your father. We don't want anyone to get hurt, do we?

Joe

Joey ain't quite of age, Ryker.

What d'you say, son?.

Come up here, Joey.

I don't want you to be sorry, Starrett. I'll see ya. [he leaves].

Joe

What do you make of him?

Shane

He's no cowpuncher.

Joe:

No. He don't look the part sure enough.

RykerL [from the bar to Wilson and Morgan, watching Grafton going into the store] I like Starrett too. But I'll kill him if I have to. I tell you, I'll kill him if I have to.

Wilson

You mean I'll kill him if you have to. [Morgan chuckles]

Morgan

Just get Starrett in here. It wouldn't take much to bait him. [He moves to the saloon doors and looks out and sees Shipstead and Torrey approaching]

Morgan

Well lookey here........lookey here.... [Wilson, curious, joins him at the saloon door followed by Ryker]

Wilson

Why don't we just gun him and get on with it? One of them's run already. It won't take much to stampede the rest.

Remember, Wilson, this has gotta look right to Grafton.

Shane

I came to get your offer, Ryker.

I'm not dealing with you. Where's Starrett?

Shane

You're dealing with me, Ryker.

I got no quarrel with you, Shane. You walk out now and no hard feelings.

Shane

What's your offer, Ryker?

To you, not a thing.

Shane

That's too bad.

Too bad?

Shane

Yeah, you've lived too long. Your kind of days are over.

My days! What about yours, gunfighter?

Shane

The difference is I know it.

All right. So we'll all turn in our six-guns to the bartender. We'll all start hoeing spuds. Is that it?

Shane

Not quite yet. [to Wilson] We haven't heard from your friend here.

Wilson

I wouldn't push too far if I were you. Our fight ain't with you.

Shane

It ain't with me, Wilson?

Wilson

No it ain't, Shane.

I wouldn't pull on Wilson, Shane. [to Will Atkey] Will, you're a witness to this.

Shane

So you're Jack Wilson.

Wilson

What's that mean to you, Shane?

Shane

I've heard about you.

Wilson

And what've you heard, Shane?

Shane

I've heard that you're a low-down Yankee liar.

Wilson

Prove it.