The Deputy (TV Series)

Lawman's Conscience (1961)

Allen Case: Deputy Clay McCord

Quotes 

• [a man Clay arrested for murder is released when the real killer provides a death bed confession] 

  Clay McCord : Lucky thing Albee got life instead of the noose - lucky for me, I mean.

• Clay McCord : Every time I arrest somebody, I'm goin' to say to myself, "Am I makin' another mistake?"

  Marshal Simon Fry : That's goin' to be a problem, Clay, I'll grant ya, but there's problems in every job. You face 'em; you fight 'em. You went to a lot of trouble to prove that Albee done the killin'. Maybe next time, you're gonna have to take more time, more trouble.

• [Sarge give Clay a copy of Albee's trial records] 

  Clay McCord : Well, I know all this. How come you want me to read it through?

  Sergeant Hapgood Tasker : Find anything in there to make you doubt Albee Beckett was the killer?

  Clay McCord : No.

  Sergeant Hapgood Tasker : Good! Then the two days it took me to ride to Hondo, go to the courthouse and bring that back here wasn't wasted.

  Clay McCord : I'm afraid it is, considerin' Rufus Hayden's confession.

  Sergeant Hapgood Tasker : Who said Hayden wasn't lyin'?

  Clay McCord : On his deathbed, Sarge? He'd have to have an awful powerful reason for that.

  Sergeant Hapgood Tasker : Clay, if you started actin' like a lawman instead of a wounded buffalo, why you might find a reason.

• Clay McCord : Now I know what a military secret is.

  Sergeant Hapgood Tasker : What?

  Clay McCord : It's something a military man keeps to himself until it's almost too late to do anybody any good.

• [When Albee turns on his partner, Sarge knocks him out the butt of his pistol] 

  Sergeant Hapgood Tasker : Eh, he'll sleep better, Clay.

  Clay McCord : So will I, Sarge, so will I.

• [last lines] 

  Marshal Simon Fry : I'll take the first watch. You ought to sleep real good knowin' you have a clear conscience in ya.

  Clay McCord : You're the boss, Marshal.