Robert Burton: Pike

Quotes 

• Sheriff Frank Pike : I think the boy you're looking for is Al Parker - at least from your description.

  Johnny Ringo : Is he in town?

  Sheriff Frank Pike : No, he rode out about a month ago. We're lucky enough not to see him since.

• Johnny Ringo : Where would he be if he came back to town?

  Sheriff Frank Pike : Could have gone across the border into New Mexico, but I doubt it. No, if Al Parker's in town, there's just one place he'd be.

  William 'Cully' Charles Jr., Deputy : Where's that?

  Sheriff Frank Pike : The Garden of Eden.

  Johnny Ringo : The Garden of Eden?

  Sheriff Frank Pike : Mm-hmm. I'll introduce you to the proprietor - he's a very interesting man. But make no mistake, Sheriff - this Garden of Eden is no paradise.

• Sheriff Frank Pike : Why don't you tell him the truth, Kirk. Parker's a friend of yours. His father lent you the money to build this place.

  Kirk : That's right. I paid him back.

  Sheriff Frank Pike : By protecting his son?

  Kirk : Don't press me, Pike.

  Sheriff Frank Pike : Don't give me a reason to.

• Johnny Ringo : [discussing Kirk]  Is he telling the truth?

  Sheriff Frank Pike : Known Kirk for a long time. Sometimes he's the most honest man alive.

  Johnny Ringo : How 'bout now?

  Sheriff Frank Pike : He's lying through his teeth.

• Johnny Ringo : Where are the New Mexico authorities?

  Sheriff Frank Pike : Not too far. They can arrest him and hold him until we get get him.

  Johnny Ringo : Cully, you stay here and keep an eye on Parker. If he leaves, follow him; if he steps across that line, arrest him; if he draws on you... kill him.

• Johnny Ringo : Well, Pike, you're the sheriff here.

  Sheriff Frank Pike : You want me to arrest Kirk? For what? Knocking Parker across the border? Giving your deputy a shooting exhibition? No, Kirk never breaks the law; he just bends it.

• Sheriff Frank Pike : Maybe you have a clean town, Ringo; I don't. You see, we're right on the border. That means that every saddle tramp and gunslinger in the country passes through here and once they go across that border, they laugh at me. I've been sheriff here for sixteen years and it's taught me to compromise a little.

  Johnny Ringo : Compromise with men like Kirk?

  Sheriff Frank Pike : Maybe. Sometimes I think Kirk does more for this town than I do. People are ever in trouble, they go to him, not me. A man like Kirk, well, maybe he ought to be in jail. I don't know... but he'll ride a hundred miles to help a friend and there's not a man in this whole territory that wouldn't ride for him. Maybe he's not always within the law - it's hard to say. In this part of the country he *is* the law.

  Johnny Ringo : You sound like you like him.

  Sheriff Frank Pike : I guess I do... but if he ever steps out of line, I'll hang him.