As I rode into North Fork I couldn't help but notice how quiet it was. Not one person on the street except Micah. "What's going on Micah?" "Dan Maury's in there," he replied, motioning toward the Saloon. Micah had sent him
to Yuma prison five years ago. Micah felt that crippling his arm wasn't bad enough, now Maury is out for revenge, he wants to kill Micah.
We both stood outside of Micah's office trying to decide how long we thought Maury would stay in the Saloon. Micah felt that as long as he had that shotgun Maury wouldn't be fool enough to try anything. He had a lot of time to think when he was in Yuma. Could be he's just having a little fun and sooner or later Maury will tire. "And if he doesn't?" I ask. Micah tells me that he won't use his badge for a personal grievance. He can't just go in there and take him. He hasn't done anything. I told Micah I was going to see what I can do. He didn't want me to stick my neck out for him. Micah was my friend, I was going to try and help anyway I could.
I walked over to the Saloon to look the situation over. I went into the Saloon, and walked up to the bar. "Beer Sweeney," I said. Maury sizes me up and took notice of my rifle. He starts to tell me, "When he was rotting away in Yuma, they use to sit up all night sometimes and talk
. Every now and then someone would remember about a big ugly Sodbuster with a rifle like that one. He said they called him 'The Rifleman.' His gun was faster then any side arm in the territory. Is that true Sodbuster?" he asked. I asked him if he wanted proof. He asked me what I thought of him just coming in here to have a drink of whiskey. I told him if anything happens to Micah Torrance he'll answer to me. He wanted to know if he was doing anything wrong. I told him, "Just your being here is wrong. He assured me if he wasn't fool enough to go up against me he surely wouldn't go up against the Marshal's shotgun, with steel balls. He said he rode into town last night and was thirsty. He was so thirsty that he stayed here all night. Then when daylight came, he looked across the street. He saw Micah standing there with that shotgun of his. He just loved going on and on about how he bet Micah stayed up all night and how long would Micah last if he stayed here for 3 or 4 days. Micah being an old man, he would eventually tire and fall asleep. Then he could walk up to him and take his shotgun away and leave h
im with his side arm like it was five years ago. "That's enough, you're riding out right now," I told him. "Is that you or your gun talking?" Ask Maury. I shot at the bottle of whiskey on the bar. It shattered. Next I shot the whiskey glass out of his hand. He got my message. Micah and I watched him get on his horse and ride out of town.
Doc Burrage insisted I didn't need it until my arm got better. "Mark, do you hear me?" I asked firmly. When Mark went out to get my rifle he couldn't help but notice how quiet the street was, but Micah said he hadn't noticed. They took me upstairs. Doc told me another hair closer I wouldn't have a head. I was also hit in the shoulder. He didn't want me moving around and he gave me some pills to make me sleep. He said I couldn't get out of bed until sometime tomorrow. Mark asked if he could take me home then. "As long as he doesn't get a fever," Doc said. I felt dizzy; the Doc said that was the pills working. He'd be back first thing in the morning to take a look at me. Mark told me to go sleep and to listen to what the Doc says. I dozed off and Mark covered me up and gave me a kiss on the forehead. I woke up later to see the town quiet and dark.
the street and into Micah's office. He took his shotgun from him. Just then, Micah woke up. "Maury," said Micah. "Too bad you fell asleep. You were gonna use this on me, weren't you?" Then he fires it. "Would have blown a big hole in me, wouldn't it?" he asked. Alright, where do you want it?" asked Micah. Maury told him, same as before, out in the street. Micah told him he doesn't have the gun hand he use to, but then Maury already knew that. "Get out there," says Micah. As they go out in the street, Maury told Micah, "That's far enough, turn around and draw." I don't know how, but I managed to get down those steps and out into the street. I stepped in - weak - I can hardly stand. Maury laughed, saying, he has a Marshal that can't shoot, a Sodbuster who can hardly hold his rifle up. Laughing again, he said, "Sodbuster, you're no better off today than you were by that wood pile yesterday." I whispered to Micah, "When I walk in front of you, draw your gun and make it good." I walked
in front of Micah and then fell to the ground. Micah was ready for Maury and shot to kill. "Lucas, Lucasboy, come on, I'll get you into the hotel." Doc and Mark came running out of the hotel. Doc asks if Micah's is alright and then he started to scold me and saying "Dang blame it Lucas, I told you to stay in bed."
as Dan Maury. He's the bad dude who crippled Micah's arm. He is exceptional in this episode!' The other "Rifleman" episodes he starred in was 'The Prodigal' - 'The Clarence Bibs Story' and 'Death Never Rides Alone.' 
