I had to go into town to get a new bridle for my horse.  I told Mark to be sure and do his chores while I was gone. One of the pigs had gotten out of the pen.  Mark was looking for him.  He found him caught on a loose board that was on the shed.  He was scolding the pig when he looked up and saw a man setting on his horse. "Hello Varmint," said the stranger.  He looked like he just stepped out of one of Marks school books.  "Who.....who are you? Where.....where are you from?" Asked Mark.  He didn't know what to think of this man.  "Out of the sunrise, from the shire 'o the rainbow, the county of the Dragon, from castle Vermillion, I sir am Don Chimera Del Laredo and your obedient servant."   Mark put down the pig.  "You lost?" He asks.  "Nay stripling, now how could we be lost since we are here?"  Mark was a little confused.  "Uh...uh...the...The main trails a half a mile over. You shouldn't have any trouble finding it," said Mark.  Don Chimera Del Laredo Laughed.  "By my road gauge there's a young cock that come thru with great personal parallel. Rescues a damsel in distress from durance farm, and allows it to flee to the arms of the waiting prince."  Mark looking confused looks around and wonders if he is really talking about the pig?  "Superb stripling!" Clapping his hands.  "Superb!"  "All it was, was a pig stuck in a crack in the shed! Wasn't even a girl pig at that?" Said Mark.  Don Chimera Del Laredo was not interested in details.  Mark excused himself, said he had wood to cut. Don Chimera Del Laredo drew his sword, "Hold!"  When Mark turned around he was starring at a sword.  "Kneel I say, Kneel!"  Mark was scared.  As he was slowly kneeling Don Chimera Del Laredo turned to his Esquire Gates and winked.  "Your not gonna cut off my head?" Asked Mark. "Pa wouldn't like that!"  "Silence!" Said Don Chimera Del Laredo.  "I dub thee Sir Mark McCain."  He tapped Mark's right shoulder with the sword and said, "Knight of the realm.....here of the manor, taping his left shoulder.  "Rise Sir Mark."  "How did you know my name?" Asked Mark.  He asked Mark if he refused him hospitality.  "Lord Lucas McCain shall hear of this!"  He told Mark that we had shared many of crusades together and that we we're like brothers.  He said I would know him best by his lay name, Don la Gar.  Mark got excited.  He remembered me talking about him.  Mark asked him what brought him to this area.  He told him he was here to kill a man.  Right away Mark wanted to know who that was.  He told him his name was Colonel Black.  The three of us used to ride together. They then went in the house while Mark got supper around.

When I walked into the house, I was upset.  "What have I told you about letting strangers in here?"  "Oh these aren't strangers Pa," said Mark.  Mark introduced me to Gates.  When Gates told me who he was I was ecstatic.  Don la Gar was asleep on my arm chair.  I started speaking Spanish to him.  My tricked worked.  He almost thought the Mexican Police had us.  We all stood there laughing.  Don la Gar talked about our days together.  It sure sounded like we we're rustlers to Mark.  I told Don la Gar he better clear my good name with my son.  He told Mark that I had rode with them under the impression they had bought the cattle.  But things had gotten mixed up and it was overlooked that they never paid for them.  When I found out they never paid, I rode out without them.   I asked him about Black but he didn't want to sully his tongue talkin' about Black.  He did say that Black was coming here.  Don la Gar told us they have decided to do their mortal confrontation at our ranch.  I was the one they both trusted.  They wanted to settle the matter once and for all.  He and Gates went out to the barn. Mark and I finished cleaning up the supper dishes.  "Pa.....is Mr. Del Laredo for
real?"  "Does he look real to
you?"  "Yeah but I don't think things look real to him," said Mark.  "Mark everything depends on the way we see it. Most people have to live in the time they where born, whether they like it or not. But some folks are rich enough in money and imagination to live in anytime they want.  Don Chimera chose the 13th Century."  "Don't folks think he's kinda funny?" Asked Mark.  "Don't be fooled Son, he knows exactly what he's doing."  I told Mark I was hoping to talk Don Chimera out of fighting Black.  Just then Colonel Black rode up.  He charged in the house looking for Don Chimera.  It was good seeing him after all these years.  I introduced him to Mark and he introduced his aide Scoobo to us. Just then Don Chimera and Gates came into the house.  He told Black he would be ready in twenty minutes for Armageddon. 

 They both had a different version of what had been going on between them.  When Black told me all this was over a chess game, well that was just my reaction. "A CHESS GAME!"  He explained that they have played 1606 games of chess.  Black is leading 817 to Don Chimera 789 games.  Black is leading by 28 games.  He said about a year ago Don Chimera had taken to cheating.  He accused him of cheating by playing with his elbows too low on the table.  Of course Don Chimera was telling Mark a different version of the story.  He said that Black had taken to cheating.  He said when he confronted Black; he had struck him and threw down the gauntlet.  I suggested a supervised game to Black as Mark did the same to Don Chimera.  They weren't interested in the game; they were only interested in beating each other.  They were afraid of not winning.  They both agreed to a supervised game of chess.

      We were standing there watching the two of them playing chess.  I saw Gates and Scoobo with their heads together.  When they saw me watching them they broke it up and Scoobo went to serve drinks.  He had his back towards us and we didn't see him meddle with the board.  Gates knew what he was up to.  Pretty soon we heard a shot from outside.  We all ran out to see what was going on.  Gates said he saw a snake in the woodpile and he ran in the house thru the back door.  He grabbed the broom and on his way he changed the chess board back to the way it was and then came out the front door.  He said he was told that straw makes a rattlesnake curl up and die.
       We all went back inside to finish the game.  As they started the game they could tell the board had been tampered with.  They each remembered the different moves that was made and accused each other of cheating.  I told them I didn't remember where those pieces were.  Mark did remember seeing the position of one of the pieces.  Black challenges Don Chimera to a duel.  He accepted.  They both went outside.  Black refuses to fight him any other way but with cold steel.  Don Chimera wanted an apology.  Black refused.  They both drew their swords and started to engage in combat.  I fired a shot off with my rifle and told them to hold it.  I told them I knew nothing about chess so I didn't watch the chessmen.  I watched their hands and they were all four visible at all times.  "In fact I watched your hands so closely that there was another hand I didn't watch. Isn't that right Scoobo?"  He said he didn't know what I was talkin' about.  He said he had no reason to move any of the pieces.  I asked him if he had anything to gain.  I put my rifle across his chest.  He said he might have moved it accidentally.  Then I looked at Gates and said, "Then after the rattlesnake story you moved it back, accidentally."  Gates admitted he knew Scoobo moved the pieces and he moved it back to avoid trouble.  Now it all made sense to Don Chimera and Colonel Black.  They've been playing with their pieces all along.  They had been doing this for so long that they lost track of the time.  They said that they both liked chess and they had a couple of side bets going.  I asked them why they never started their own game.  They said it wouldn't have been any challenge.  The interesting part was trying to figure out how they think and adjusting for their mistakes.  The Colonel and Don Chimera were insulted.  They both drew their sword on them.  Colonel Black on Scoobo and Don Chimera on Gates.  They told them to drop their guns.  "I'm going to watch a chess game between both of you gentlemen. The winner gets fired, the loser will be dead," said Colonel Black.  "Well you can't kill a man over a chess game," said Scoobo."  "What do you think I came here to do?" Asked Black.
  We all went into the house.  We watched Gates and Scoobo play a game of chess.  Black and Chimera were impressed by the way the guys played chess.  They never saw such tactics.  I asked Scoobo how long it would take him to teach Black to play that way.  He said about six months.  Black cocked his pistol.  Mark, Chimers, Gates and I laughed.  I then asked Gates how long it would take to teach Chimera to do those tactics. When he said a little longer, Chimera drew his sword closer to Gates neck.  Gates told Chimera his whole approach to the game was wrong.  "You play chess like it was checkers or hop scotch," said Gates.   We all laughed.  They agreed in six months from this date they would challenge each other to a game of chess.
  We saw them off.  "Golly Pa, I'd sure like to do that."  "Play chess?" I asked.  "No! Pick my own favorite time to live in. Like them."  "Oh.....when would you pick?"  "A hundred years from now.  No wood to cut, they'd grow it in the right size. And chickens lay eggs and bring them right in the house. Then you just save your ice so you have it in the summer time and cows give milk in mason jars and leave it right in the ice house. Pa, you don't wash the dishes, just eat them for dessert.  And no school.  Instead you can learn everything in the whole world just by readin' a little book with sixteen pages in it."  "Wait a minute, just where do you learn to read?" I asked.  "Oh, there might be a year or two of school," said Mark.  "While you’re figurin' a way around school, see if you can also figure your way around that wood pile."  He nodded his head.  Looked at me and we both laughed as he headed off towards the wood pile. 

---

piddlin' stuff.....Sean McClory as Colonel Black.  He also appeared in another episode of "The Rifleman" as Dennis O'Flarrety - 'I Take This Woman.'  He was the man that Lou's father had promised her to.  I know you've seen him in many of things.  Remember him in "The Quiet Man?" ~ "Swamp Fox" ~ "The Californians"
He really was born in Ireland.  Remember him in "Bonanza" as Professor McCarthy  in the episode 'Hoss and the Leprechauns?'
McClory's talents have been displayed to best advantage on TV, where he usually projects a robust, roistering Behanesque image. In addition to his many TV guest spots, he has played the regular roles of vigilante Jack McGivern on The "Californians," private investigator Pat McShane in "Kate McShane," and hotelier Miles Delaney in "Bring 'Em Back Alive."

 Lawrence Dobkin was in four episodes of  "The Rifleman" ~ 'The Sheridan Story' as General Phil Sheridan.  'Knight Errant' as Don Chimera del Laredo ~ he was the guy with the sword.  'The Gaucho' as Juan Argentez, the Gaucho's father.  'The Day aTown Slept' as Ben Judson.   He was the man who beat Micah in the election for Marshal of North Fork.
 He directed 'The Tinhorn' ~ 'Jealous Man' ~ 'Day of Reckoning' & 'The Executioner'.  Writer of the episode 'The Actress.'  He also directed some episodes of "Branded."  Besides doing this, he played in many other shows and films. Again another "The Untouchables" guest star.

Jack Elam was in five episodes of  "The Rifleman"—'Tension' as Gavin Martin—'Duel of Honor' as the arrogant Sim Groder—'Shattered Idol' as Russell the pool shark—'Knight Errant' as Gates—'Shotgun Man' as Gus Smith. 
He later was in 'Once upon a Texas Train' with Chuck (1988) and 'Support Your Local Sheriff.'(1971).  He was a guest star on "The Untouchables."  Love him in this Christmas episode of "Gunsmoke" as Titus Spangler─ 'P.S. Murry Christmas.'
Elam got his first movie job by trading his accounting services for a role. In short time he became one of the most memorable supporting players in Hollywood, thanks not only to his near-demented screen persona but also to an out-of-kilter left eye, sightless from a childhood fight. He appeared with great aplomb in Westerns and gangster films alike, and in later years played to wonderful effect in comedic roles. 

Charles Reade as Scoobo.  Besides "The Rifleman" he appeared in "Sea Hunt" ~ "Bat Masterson" ~ "Destry."  This is all I could find on him. 

'Knight Errant'―when Mark is knighted, another house can be seen in the distance, off the left side of the barn (on a hill, I think)  Thanks Rob!
*If anybody has any information on any of the stars, and would like to share it, please get in touch with

Honest Abe

The Decision

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around the McCain Ranch
updated 1/18/07