The Rifleman
"Welcome to the McCain Ranch"
'A Friend in Need'
Episode 123
I had to go into town for a council meeting. While I was there I thought I'd pick up a couple of supplies. I told Mark to meet me at Millie's after school. 
While I was there Neff Packer came in. He started complaining about not having enough grass to feed his cattle. He blamed himself. "I was one of the first ranchers of North Fork and I didn't have enough sense to buy up enough good land." "Neff," I said. Mark and I worked very hard building up that ranch, it's our home. We don't ever figure on selling it." He didn't say anything about me selling our place, but it was written all over his face. We looked at each other and laughed. I told Mark I would put the supplies on his saddle, and I would be home as soon as the council meeting was over. "There goes a fine man, hard working, loving father, civic minded and a good friend," said Neff. "Makes me proud to know a man like your Pa."
Mark was headed for home when a man stopped him. He cut Mark off. Carl told Mark if he didn't want to see anything happen to his Dad he should come along quietly. He told Mark that if he didn't do like he said his Dad would not live very long. Mark told him he wouldn't go with him , that he had just left his me in town. Carl told Mark that if he didn't go with him I would be killed. Mark didn't feel he had any other choice but to go with Carl. 
I went straight home after the meeting to find that Mark had not been home yet. The later it got the more worried I was. He should have been home sometime ago, before me. I decided to go looking for him. I wrote Mark a note and fastened it to the house by the door. I wanted to make sure he would see it.
Mark,
When you get home, stay here. I've gone looking for you.
Pa
I then headed into town to check with Millie to see when Mark left town
or if he mentioned anything about going somewhere before he left.
I wasn't aware that Carl was watching me and waiting for me to leave. He had read my note, then crumbled it up and posted his own note. A ransom note.
Millie said that Mark told her he was going home. She saw Mark leave and he was headed towards our ranch. "He must be somewhere between here and the ranch," said Micah. "Maybe his horse went lame." There was no reason for him to leave the road and I know I hadn't passed him on the way in. "You know how boys are," said Millie. "Maybe he took a short cut!" "Come on.....we'll find him. I'm sure he's alright," said Micah. Millie grabbed my arm. "Lucas, let me know.....please?" I told her I would. Micah and I rode off.
We rode all night. No sign of him. We went back to the ranch to see if Mark happened to come home. The note I left was still there. I went in the house to check for him. I called to him.
No answer. His bed hadn't been slept in. Micah had taken down what I thought was my note. He was reading it when I came out of the house. He showed me the note. Note! Was this somebody's idea of a joke? Anybody who knows me knows I don't have that kind of money. Who would do this? "Why my boy? Why me?" As I hit the post on the porch. Micah told me to calm down. We went into the house while Micah made coffee to try and figure out what we could do.
We went into town. I went to see John Hamilton, the bank President to see if I could get a loan. He told me he could make a loan on the ranch but it wouldn't be enough. "It isn't my money to give Lucas, it belongs to the depositors and I don't have enough of my own money on hand to do any good." said John. He felt helpless, like me. Just then Neff charged into the bank. He said he had just heard about Mark and found it hard to believe. He said he had the money and offered it to me. I told him I couldn't borrow from him; it wasn't like borrowing from the bank. Micah and I went to get some men to help look for Mark.
We didn't have any luck. We came back into town to get something to eat and get some rest. Micah wanted to head out in an hour, I said a half hour! Micah agreed. "Lucas!" Called Millie. I looked at her and then walked into Micah's office. I didn't have to say a word. She knew by the look on my face. She ask Micah if we found anything. "We've covered every square inch of territory for twenty miles around. Every house, gully, you name it!" Said Micah. "It's like the boy vanished into thin air," said Neff.
"Micah! Micah read this! I found it behind the door."
"Get rid of the posses. Tell McCain to bring five thousand cash to the old relay station in Wolfe Canyon. Come alone, don't try anything. Leave money in sack by door to station house. Turn around and ride out. The boy will be turned loose when your gone."
No wonder we couldn't find Mark, that was half way to Santa Fe. Micah wanted to get fifty men and surround the place. But I insisted on going alone. I couldn't take a chance on what they might do. Mark comes first! I turned to Neff. "Neff, you always wanted to buy my place didn't you?" "I'll sell it to you now." "Now wait a minute," said Neff. "Five thousand dollars Neff!" "I need the money!" "Alright, alright! I'll take a note on your place," said Neff. "Now!" I yelled. We went over to the bank to get the money. I signed the note for five thousand dollars using my ranch for collateral. Micah wanted to go along and so did Neff. But I had to do this alone. "Neff, that was a nice thing you've done for Lucas," said Micah. "If you can't count on your friends
when you need them, then what good are they," said Neff.
Carl tried to get Mark to eat but he refused. "I wanna go home!" Yelled Mark. Mark asked him how much longer he had to stay there. Carl told him I might be coming for him tomorrow. "Pa, here?" "Are you going to be here to?" "Yeah until I finish my business with him, then I'll be leaving." "What business?" Ask Mark. "You ask too many questions kid, now come on and eat!" Mark knew what he meant by that. "Sorry kid, but that's the way it's gotta be," said Carl.
Carl was on the porch waiting for me with gun in hand. Mark came out. He saw Carl with the gun and told him he wouldn't need it. Just then we heard someone riding up. "Pa! Pa!" Yelled Mark. Carl grabbed him and put his hand over his mouth and took him inside and locked him back in the closet. "Pa! Help!" Yelled Mark as he pounded on the door to the closet. I grabbed the money and was looking over the when Carl started shooting at me from the top of the barn. I jumped from my horse and took cover along side of one of the buildings. I kept shooting trying to get closer. I managed to get right inside of the barn and shot several times thru the roof. I got Carl. He fell to the ground. He was dead. I ran inside of the station and called to Mark. He was locked in the closet. When I opened the door, he jumped into my arms. "Thank God youre alright Son." Just they we heard someone approaching. It was Neff. He called for Carl. He was surprised to see me when I came out of the station. "What happened? Is mark alright?" Ask Neff. 
He said he was there because he had an interest in the money he gave me. I knew what he had been up to. He wanted to this talk it over. He was a weasel. He offered me money to forget the whole thing. I walked up to him slapping him in the face. He fell to the ground sniffling.
"It just doesn't figure, a man like Neff. Who would have figured?" said Micah. "That's what he was counting on Micah," I said. "Seems like you can't even trust your friends," said Mark. "Oh now wait a minute Mark. You can't judge all your friends by Neff Packer," said Millie. "I don't know," said Mark. "You don't know? Well take Millie and Micah; they'll your friends, right?" "Right," said Mark. "You trust them, right?" "Right," said Mark. "Take me; I'm your friend to, right?" "No, youre my Pa." "Well lets say I'm a friendly Pa, huh?" We all started laughing.
piddlin' stuff.....Parley Baer appeared as Neff Packer. He's the one who arranged Mark's kidnapping so he could get the mortgage to the McCain 
Ranch. He also appeared in another episode of "The Rifleman" as Walter Mather in 'A Matter of Faith.'
Parley Baer appeared in a lot of great shows. I remember him best as Mayor Stoner in "The Andy Griffith Show and The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" as Darby
Harlan Warde as John Hamilton. President of the North Fork bank and a friend of the McCain's.
Lee Farr as Carl Avery. He's the one who held Mark for ransom. He also appeared in another episode of "The Rifleman." 'Home Ranch' as Sam Montgomery.
He had appeared in"Bonanza""Cain's Hundred""Emergency!""Have Gun, Will Travel""Lancer""Lawman""Mission: Impossible""M Squad""Perry Mason""Richard Diamond, Private Detective""SurfSide 6""The Invaders""The Millionaire""The Restless Gun""The Rockford Files""The Rookies""The Walter Winchell File""Trackdown""Wanted: Dead or Alive
He was a regular on the TV series "The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor" as Det. Lt. James Conway.
National 1970s late night talk show host Tom Snyder appeared as a member of the posse in 'A Friend in Need' as Pete.
Tom Snyder stated to boost ratings that were beginning to lag "The Rifleman" had local personalities to have a very small parts in the show.
Tom Snyder, A familiar face on late night television, Tom Snyder was born in Milwaukee and got his broadcast start in a radio newsroom after graduating from Marquette University. He became a national figure in 1973 when he was named anchor of Tomorrow, a late-night television talk show that was replaced by Late Night with David Letterman in the early 1980s. After Letterman jumped to CBS, however, he hired Snyder to host The Late Late Show, which is broadcast immediately after Letterman's program.
Thanks Paul in Maryland!
Does anybody know who played Harry the bartender?
*If anybody has any information on any of the stars, and would like to share it, please get in touch with 
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updated 11/15/07