Ride, Ryder, Ride! (1949)

Edwin Max: Frenchy Beaumont

Quotes 

• [at the dueling site] 

  Frenchy Beaumont : Are you ready?

  Red Ryder : Ready, willing and, I hope, able.

• Red Ryder : You're the first duelist I've ever known, Frenchy. How does a man go about getting into a duel?

  Frenchy Beaumont : I don't understand.

  Red Ryder : Well, isn't there some sort of formality about the way you duelists issue challenges - like throwing a glass of wine in your opponent's face or slapping him with a glove?

  Frenchy Beaumont : [chuckling]  Really, Ryder, really... .

  Red Ryder : Well, you take Gerry Brooks. He didn't know any more about this duelist's code than I do. How'd you get him to accept your challenge.

  Frenchy Beaumont : To the best of my recollection, he made some comments in public reflecting on my reputation. Being a gentleman of honor, naturally, I resented it.

  Red Ryder : Naturally, being a gentleman, you kept your temper under control.

  Frenchy Beaumont : No, Ryder, I rather believe I lost control momentarily, and hit him.

  Red Ryder : [slaps Frenchy with a glove]  With a glove?

  Frenchy Beaumont : ...Without a glove.

  Red Ryder : Well, that's the information I wanted. I didn't know you duelists ever hit a man just barehanded...

  [Ryder slaps Frenchy barehanded] 

  Red Ryder : Like that.

  Frenchy Beaumont : Why you cowardly...

  Red Ryder : I don't think it's being a coward, Frenchy, hittin' a man who's never lost a duel.

• [Ryder has just challenged Frenchy to a duel] 

  Frenchy Beaumont : That man is a fool.

  Henry W. Iverson : Yeah? I'm not so sure.

  Frenchy Beaumont : Of course he is a fool. Wouldn't a smart man rather be known as a live coward, than a dead redhead?

• [Red has been shot in his duel with Frenchy] 

  Frenchy Beaumont : Hey Red! Hey Red, are you alive?

  Red Ryder : ...Sort of.

• [referring to a provocative law-and-order editorial published in the local newspaper] 

  Henchman Blackjack : Is that gal loco, publishing this?

  Frenchy Beaumont : The girl has too much sense, Blackjack - but her brother, he is young and rash.

  Henchman Blackjack : Yeah. Ain't it a shame. He don't know nothing about duelin', the poor kid.