- [first lines]
- Marshal Simon Fry: [narrating] When you're a Chief Marshal, trouble's your bread and butter, but when you get too much of it, you lose your appetite. Six bank hold-ups in three months - not one of 'em solved. Now, to top things off, my favorite deputy, Clay McCord, was gettin' nowhere on a matter of murder.
- Frank Bennett: Look, we stick together, what can he do, huh?
- Jay Bennett: Besides, where can we can get better odds than three against one?
- Gary Bennett: Four against one.
- Jay Bennett: What do you mean?
- Gary Bennett: The deputy's on our side.
- Marshal Simon Fry: [discussing a murdered man] Where were the Bennetts when he got stabbed?... You didn't think to ask 'em!
- Clay McCord: What for? They didn't even know him!
- Marshal Simon Fry: Sometimes I think maybe you're a little young for this job.
- Sergeant Hapgood Tasker: Why, the Bennett boys were the ones were playin' cards with, Simon. They're regular fellas.
- Marshal Simon Fry: Well, let's go talk to 'em.
- Clay McCord: What for?
- Marshal Simon Fry: For one thing, it's the only lead we got. For another, maybe one of 'em ain't so regular.
- Clay McCord: Can't win 'em all, you know. You gotta lose once in a while.
- Marshal Simon Fry: When it comes to murder, I'm the world's worst loser.
- Sergeant Hapgood Tasker: Get anything out of the girls? They all give the Bennett boys the same alibi, huh? I'll go along with ya - one of those girls is lyin'.
- Marshal Simon Fry: They ain't lyin'. That's what's drivin' me out of my mind.
- Sergeant Hapgood Tasker: I can't keep up with you, Simon.
- Marshal Simon Fry: They ain't lyin' - I know it! How can all of their alibis be the truth when one of those boys is guilty. Terry's too dumb to lie - ain't that right?
- Sergeant Hapgood Tasker: Well, if you're askin' me...
- Marshal Simon Fry: Suzy's too addled to think up a good lie let alone for them to trust her. Martha just ain't the type. I danced her in every direction; she came up the same every time.
- [last lines]
- Sergeant Hapgood Tasker: Clay, I'd like to see you - if you was in the army - talk to your commanding officer like that.
- Clay McCord: Sarge, if you stand on ceremony with Simon Fry, you wouldn't be in his army at all.