The Rifleman
"Welcome to the McCain Ranch"
'Skull'
Episode 124
Mark and I had gone on a hunting trip. We wanted to get our winter meat. We weren't having much luck. Mark was gathering up some 
wood for our campfire. I told him I was going to ride over to the other side of the hill before it got dark to see if I could pick up any fresh tracks. Mark said he'd have supper ready until I got back.
Mark was starting to build the campfire when he happened to look up and there was a buck out in the field. He looked to see if I was in site, but I was gone. He decided to track him, unarmed and on foot. He had climbed up on a huge boulder to try and get a better view. As he started to get down from the boulder he slipped and fell, hitting his head on a rock and knocked himself out.
I was surprised when I got back to camp and Mark wasn't there. I had to go and look for him. I wrote him a note. I told him I had gone looking for him and that he was to stay here at camp and I would check back later. I laid the note by the campfire.
I had ridden a ways when I came across a ranch. I thought maybe they might have seen Mark or maybe I could get some help finding him. As I went to untie the gate someone took a shot at me. I went for my rifle. But wasn't fast enough. I tried talking to the guy, telling
him I needed help, but he wouldn't listen to me. He shot at me again and told me to do as he said or the next time he wouldn't miss. "Look mister, I need help. What place is this?" "It's the Skull ranch and you’re lucky to be alive. Now get movin'," said Pascal. Just then another man came up holding a rifle on me and handed my rifle to Pascal.
They took me into the house. There was Hoyt Coyle owner of the 'Skull' Ranch. "I found him riding up to the gate," said Pascal. "You’re along ways from anywhere mister, what's your business?" "I came for help. I need some riders. My boy's lost out there somewhere." "Where?" Ask Hoyt. "This side of the low range, about three miles. We were out hunting and got separated." Hoyt got up, he started to walk around the room. "You boys feel like taking a ride, lookin' for a lost kid?" Ask Hoyt. There were no takers. "Look mister! I've got to find him, if he's hurt or can't....." "Shut up!" Yelled Hoyt. "That's better." "Is that his gun?" He took my rifle from Pascal. Hoyt told me to sit down. "Look mister if you won't help me at least....." "Do as I say McCain.....sit down!" I sat down. "I know you. This gun of yours has a reputation, even down here." "Your lucky Pascal, they call this one "The Rifleman." "My name is Hoyt Coyle; does that mean anything to you?" "Skull Ranch, Hoyt Coyle, they go together," I said. The Skull Ranch was a haven for every outlaw and saddle tramp in the country. "Did you know this was the Skull when you came in here?" "Not until he already had a gun on me." "Too bad! Since you already know of me and my ranch you must also know that no one leaves here alive, unless I say so." said Hoyt. He thru my rifle to Warren and told him to keep an eye on me and to kill me if he had to. Hoyt and his men went outside. Hoyt told them to find the boy.
Mark had gone back to our camp and was reading my note when Hoyt's men rode in. He thought it was me riding in. "Pa, Pa, 
over here!" They ask him if Luke McCain was his father. When Mark told him I was, they told him to saddle up. "What for?" Ask Mark. They grabbed Mark and brought him back to the Skull Ranch.
Hoyt told me about this sheriff in Lordsburg. He bothers him. He's like a thorn in his side. Hoyt said that some of his boys were in town relaxing. He threw them into jail. He wasn't gonna get away with that again. He said he was going into town tomorrow and get his boys out. He didn't see that a problem. But the sheriff was a different story. He wanted me to execute the sheriff of Lordsburg over a grudge he had for him. I told him he was out of his mind. Hoyt told me to take a look outside. They had Mark. They knocked me out and locked Mark in the barn. "Amusing, isn't it? Lucas McCain, Skull executioner," said Hoyt.
When I came to, I was lying in the stable of the barn with my hands tied behind my back. I tried the door but it was locked. I was checking out the barn when I thought I heard Mark call to me in a whisper from the hayloft. "Pa." I heard him again. I couldn't see him, but I could hear him. "Mark, is that you?" "What do they want?" Ask Mark. "What happened to you this afternoon?" "I saw a big buck and chased it, I slipped into a ravine, guess I got knocked out. Then when I finally got my senses back you were already gone. Those men came...." he started to cry. "Oh Pa, it's all my fault." "Forget about it......listen to me." I whispered. I stepped up on a bale of hay so Mark could hear me better. "Is there anyway you can get out of there son?" Mark looked around. "There's a 
boarded up window. Maybe I could break thru and drop to the ground." "But Pa, I couldn't leave you." "Don't worry about me, you've got to get out of here and get help. Now can you do it?" "What about your pocketknife, do you still have it?" I told him to try and pry thru the window. "Id try but.....I just can't leave ya Pa," said Mark. "Mark, you'll do it, that's an order son, you do it! You've got to get out of here and get help, that's the most important thing." He wasn't sure why this was all happening. I told him this was the Skull Ranch that was all he needed to know. He remembered me telling him about it. He started to work on the window.
Two of Hoyt's men came for me. They said their boss wanted to see me. Pascal told the other guy to take me up to the house while he checked on Mark. While Hoyt was talking to me, Pascal came in and pulled Hoyt aside. Hoyt then came over to me with Mark's knife. He told me Ally had a tough time taking Mark's knife away from him. He said that someone would be staying with Mark while we went into town tomorrow. "Alright, whatever you say, just don't harm my boy!"
The next morning we were getting ready to head into Lordsburg. I told Hoyt I wanted to see my boy. He said I couldn't see him until we got back. He assured me Mark would be alright as long as I did want he said. He knew they would be expecting us in Lordsburg. He was looking forward to that. He felt they wouldn't do anything, they were frightened people. He wanted to teach them a lesson. There was to be only one killing and that was the sheriff. "I shouldn't have to remind you, it's the sheriff's life against that of your boy, clear?" He took my rifle and left me with one bullet. He was testing my reputation.
Mark did get away, but they weren't about to tell me. He walked all night and was exhausted. He just made it to a pond when the deputy from Lordsburg spotted him. He was on his way back from Las Cruces. The sheriff had 
sent him for help. He rode over to Mark. Mark was so busy putting his face in the water that he didn't see the man ride up. The man had his gun drawn but when he saw it was a boy, he put it away. He grabbed Mark and ask him who he was. Mark was too exhausted and couldn't answer. He took Mark back to Lordsburg.
The Deputy told the sheriff that La Cruces sheriff said he couldn't spare anybody. He pointed to Mark. "He's all you brought from La Cruces?" He told him that he found Mark on the road. He wanted the sheriff to hear Mark's story. He told the sheriff that Mark had escaped from the Skull Ranch.
Mark told the sheriff our story and how we we're held at the Skull Ranch. Hewanted the sheriff to go and help me. But they couldn't leave. It was only the two of them. He also had four of Hoyt's men in jail. He was hoping for help from La Cruces. He couldn't leave, not yet. He had to stay there and wait, he knew that Hoyt and his men would be coming.
When Hoyt and his men rode into town, everybody scattered. The deputy saw them and told the sheriff. He and Mark came out on the porch. Mark saw me. "Pa!" Said Mark. He started for me but they grabbed him and took him inside. The sheriff was upset. He wanted to know why I was riding with them. Mark didn't know what was going on. While the sheriff and the deputy were at the window Mark ran out. "Pa, Pa, Pa!" "Get back son!" I yelled. The deputy ran after him and took him back inside. One of Hoyt's men shot at them. I took my rifle and hit him with it. I knocked him off his horse. I got off my horse. Hoyt kept trying to shoot at me. With all the shooting going on the horses were all over
the place. Hoyt couldn't get me. I finally got an opening and shot Hoyt. Then Pascal started to shoot at me. I shot him. The sheriff and the deputy came out and arrested Warren. Mark came running out to me. I was so glad to see that he was alright and he felt the same about me.
We went to see the sheriff and his deputy before we left. "You see this Mark?" Ask the sheriff. "Yeah, what is it?" Said Mark. "It's a map I made of the parts here 'bout. I made it when I was just about your age. Haven't used it for many, many years." "What do you need a map for?" I ask. "Gonna show you both where there's more antelope then you've seen in your life!" "That's right!" Said Applegate. "You came for antelope we'll see you get plenty!" "Well what are we waitin' for?" Ask Mark. "Boys right, that's why we came!"
piddlin' stuff.....Lyle Bettger played Jay Jefferson in the episode 'The Wrong Man'. He also appeared in another episode as Hoyt Coyle owner of the 'Skull' Ranch.
He became one of the screen's better villains, especially in westerns.
How many of you remember him from Cecil B. DeMille's "Greatest Show on Earth?"
Thomas Brown played the sheriff.
Now I know you've seen this guy before. He has appeared in many of the classic westerns and great show of the 50's - 60's & 70's. He dates back as far as 1924 when he started in the show business. He was a regular on "Gunsmoke" as Ed O'Connor - a rancher from 1968-1972. "General Hospital" as Al Weeks #2 from 1963-1965, 1970-1974 and "Days of Our Lives" as Nathan Curtis from 1975-1976.
John Alvin as Applegate. He was the deputy and the one who found Mark at the pond. John has appeared in just about everything back in the 50's - 60's -70's & 80's. He was in "Milk Money" in 1994.
"Somewhere in Time" as young Arthur's Father.
Lewis Charles played Pascal. He was the one who found Marks knife in the hayloft. He was Eban Tate in 'One Went to Denver' also was in 'The Indian' as Slade the man who was responsible for the brutal murder of a Rancher and his family.
Don Drysdale as Warren. He was the one who the sheriff and the deputy took into custody. He also appeared with Chuck in an episode of "Cowboy in Africa." He did several guest appearances on TV shows - mostly portraying himself.
Of course all you baseball fans know who this guy is ~ Star Basketball player at UCLA, elected to Basketball Hall of Fame in February, 1993 and
Pitcher for the National League's Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, 1956-1969. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, 1984.
George Willeford as Mallery. George was a actor, albeit a local theater actor. He was a "local" TV personality in Indianapolis in the late 50's & 60's ~ In 1962 ABC was promoting "The Rifleman" at the time by giving a "local" TV personality in some TV markets (at an affiliate) a "walk-on" part, and in Indianapolis it was George Willeford.
George Willeford was a professor at Butler University from 1971 to 1986. He received a B.A. in music education from Indiana University in 1943 and a M.A. from I. U. in 1950. He served in the Navy for three years during World War II. From 1950–57 he taught radio and television at Indiana University. He worked at WLWI-TV in Indianapolis, hosting a live morning musical variety show and serving as a weatherman, for eight years. Willeford played the violin and wrote and produced musical revues. He was a popular professor according to an article in the BU student newspaper, known for his sense of humor.
"HeyDan! Thanks again for this great info. Dan Collier was a student of George's at Butler University! A job well done!"
Also thanks to Butler University for their info!
*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 9/22/08