Jim Janke’s List of Some Western Authors

The Most Famous Line in any Western Novel

From Owen Wister’s The Virginian, 1902:

[The villain Trampas has just casually called the Virginian a son-of-a-bitch during a poker game.]

The Virginian’s pistol came out, and his hand lay on the table, holding it unaimed. And with a voice as gentle as ever, the voice that sounded almost like a caress, but drawling a very little more than usual, so that there was almost a space between each word, he issued his orders to the man Trampas:- “When you call me that, smile!” And he looked at Trampas across the table.

Yes, the voice was gentle. But in my ears it seemed as if somewhere the bell of death was ringing.