Micah was taking a prisoner, named Reynolds, to Indian Bend to be hung.  Right after Micah and his prisoner had left, a telegram came for Micah.  It said that he was supposed to take his prisoner to Santa Fe instead.  Mark and I were just gettin' ready to head out for the county fair in Little Butte.  We told the clerk we could take a detour and catch up with Micah. We were sure there would be no problem in catching up with him. Luckily they didn't get too far.  Mark had recognized Reynolds as the man who saved his life three years ago.  Mark had been bitten by a rattler.  Mark is troubled by the thought that this man was being taken to be hung.  He felt there should be something we could do.  But there wasn't.  This man was to be hung and that's all there was to it.

When I saw how upset Mark was I thought it best that we'd put up at the river bottom for the night.  "Why not stay here? It will be an hour before you get to the river bottom. By the time you get up a good cookin' fire Mark will be fallin' asleep," said Micah.  I looked over at Reynolds.  Micah told me not to worry about him that Mark would be safe enough. He was right; it would be late until we could even make camp.  So I agreed. I told Mark to get the bedding down and I'd get the grub ready.  He told me he wouldn't be eating.  He looked over at Reynolds.  "I'm not very hungry," said Mark.  "Five hour ride and not hungry," I said.  I looked at Mark and then at Reynolds.  "Alright son, go ahead."  

"Nothing like a long ride to make you appreciate beddin' down by a campfire. We both ought to sleep good tonight," I said.  "It don't seem fair. It just don't seem fair
Pa!" Said Mark.  "Him dying and gettin' nothin' in return for helping me!" "Something's there are no answers for," I said.  I left him hoping he would fall asleep.  I went over to have a cup of coffee with Micah.  "The boys takin' it hard Micah."   "Well I can see where Mark would be addin' it up like two and two. Reynolds saving his life and loosing his own. To a boy I reckon' it don't make sense," said Micah.  But life isn't as simple as adding two and two.  I had noticed something on the ground.  It was the key to the handcuffs.  It must have fallen out of Micah's pocket to his vest.  He was glad to get it back. 

Mark walked over to Reynolds.  "Hey boy, you've grown some since I've seen ya' last."  Mark told him he had heard something's about him from time to time.  Reynolds was sure it wasn't anything good.  "I'm sorry to hear about this here predicament your in," said Mark.  "Like they say, 'make a bed,' it's sure the one your gonna lie in," said Reynolds.  Mark said goodnight to Reynolds and went to get some rest.  I told him I'd be back, I was gonna help Micah stake out the horses.  Micah then checked Reynolds.  Everything seemed good for the night.        

Mark was too upset to sleep.  "Pretty soon, maybe in the next year or two you'll kinda see things a little differently. Maybe it'll be for the better and maybe it won't. But every boy comes to an age or time when he knows certain things have to be the way they are. It's a good world, Mark, you'll see that.  See plenty of sunshine but you'll also see some dark clouds comin' your way.  It's just the way the world is. Happy times, good times, but always some sad times."  

 I was awakened by the sound of a cougar roaring.  He was spooking the horse.  I grabbed my rifle and called to Micah.  Micah was unaware that the key to the handcuffs fell out of his pocket when he got up.  I told Mark to stay here.  Reynolds noticed the key lying on the blanket.  He slowly eased his way over to the key.  He could just barely reach it.  We were too busy with the horses to notice anything and Mark was too busy watching us.  Suddenly Mark turns to see that Reynolds was loose.  Mark starts to call to us but Reynolds asked Mark for just a few minutes.  Reynolds reminded Mark that he could have died had it not been for him.  He was asking Mark for two or three minutes for saving his life. 

When we got back to camp we noticed Reynolds was gone and the key to the handcuffs was lying there.  "My key, he had my key! I must have lost it when I got up! I guess I take the prize for stupidly," said Micah.  "Mark, did you see what happened here? Did you see Reynolds find the key?" I asked.  "I wasn't lookin' at him," said Mark.  "You must have seen him leave. There must have been time to call out or.....run to us," I said.  "Mark answer my question! Could you had called out, or run to us?" He just sat there and nodded his head.  Are you saying you deliberately kept quiet? You deliberately left Reynolds escape?"  "I couldn't call out, I just couldn't! He saved my life!"  "Mark, Reynolds was a prisoner an outlaw! You had no right to let him get away, not when you could have stopped him by callin' out to Micah or to me."  I was furious.  Micah tried to justify what Mark had done.  He said Mark's mixed up, he felt he owed Reynolds a debt.  "There's no mixing up right or wrong!"  I told Mark to get our thing together.  We figured he headed for the badlands.  Micah said he go on ahead and track Reynolds.  "Sorry Pa!."  "One thing for sure.....we're not going to the county fair this year!!!!!"  "I'm taking you to Abe Merar's place and then I'm comin' back to help Micah track your friend!"

Abe was glad to have Mark.  He said he could use some help.  I told Mark I'd be back when I could.  "I'm sorry Pa!"  I left to catch up with Micah.  Abe asked Mark if he had been causing trouble.  Mark told him about Reynolds and how it was his fault he escaped.  He said he never saw his Pa so mad.  As Mark turned to tie up his horse there stood Reynolds with a rifle on the two of them.  He had been hiding in the barn.  Reynolds takes everyone into the house.  While Reynolds was talking to Mark, Merar started for his rifle.  Reynolds winged him.  He told Mark to fill the canteens.  Mark said after he tended to Merar.

Reynolds told Mark he was takin' him along with him.  Mark went out to fill the canteens.  He saw a can of kerosene setting there and got the idea to fill the canteens with kerosene.  That should slow them up some. "Reynolds, if anything happens to that boy his Pa will hunt you down," said Merar.  "Nothings gonna happen to him, he's just my insurance until I get to the border. A matter of fact, I like the kid," said Reynolds.    

By this time Reynolds and Mark were on their way to the border.  Reynolds told Mark to take it easy on his water.  This was all there was until they got to the border.  He then took a big swallow of his canteen.  He spit it out.  "Kerosene!" Yelled Reynolds as he spit it out.  He headed for Mark's canteen.  Mark backed off.  "Kerosene!" "You figured on slowing us down, didn't you boy? Well you did! In fact you slowed yourself down to a stop."  Reynolds then started for his gun.  "Kerosene!" Laughed Reynolds. "Kerosene!" "I liked that, you show some guts boy! Wait until the boys hear about this!"  They needed water to cross the wastelands.  There was a ghost town, about ten or eleven miles east.     

      The more we trailed Reynolds the more it looked like he might have back tracked using the creek up ahead.  His trail was just to easy to follow.  Well we were right.  We found the trail where he circled around.  He would be looking for a horse.  Abe's place was the nearest.  Just where I left Mark.  We headed back to the Merar Ranch.  We guessed right.  Abe told us the story.  We headed back out again. 

He told Mark he was leaving him here in the ghost town.  He figured I wasn't too far behind them.  He didn't want to tangle with me anymore then what he'd have to.  So he would be going on alone.  He was gonna tie Mark up so he didn't cut short any of his time getting away.  Mark tried to get away by Reynolds grabbed him and tied him up.  He dumped the kerosene out on the floor and told Mark he was going to get some water for his canteen and if he got loose he would tie him up by his feet.  Mark tried to get loose but couldn't.  He thought he'd try burn the ropes to get loose.  As he was trying to do this he knocked the table over and the candle that was lit, caught the kerosene on fire.  Mark tried to put the fire out but couldn't.  He called for Reynolds but he didn't hear him.  Just them Reynolds smelled the fire.  He rushed in to help Mark.  He carried him out.  Just then Micah and I rode up.  Micah held his shotgun on him while I went to see how Mark was.  "Pa he saved my life again. Micah can't take him in now Pa, he can't!" Said Mark.  "Mark this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't interfered, now lets not start all over again boy!"     

"Reynolds, the way I figure it you got a fair trial and a fair sentence. Frankly I don't think you deserve a break because I don't think you'll ever change. But the.....you tell him Micah."  "Lucas and I have been talkin' it over. We're all goin' up to Santa Fe to see the governor. We think you've got a favor comin'.  We're gonna see if he'll swap your hangin' for a prison sentence.  "Well I can't say I object to a nice airy cell instead of stretching some rope.  He winked at Mark.  Micah and Reynolds went on their way.  "I feel better now Pa. Us doin' something in return for Mr. Reynolds," said Mark.  "Feel better do ya'? Well you just remember when we get home we've got a few things to talk about!"

piddlin' stuff....Keith Andes as Reynolds.  He's the guy who saved Mark twice.
He appeared with Chuck in "Branded" in 'Price of a Name.'
Keith Andes was a strappingly handsome and virile mold of a George Nader, Guy Madison, and Jeffrey Hunter in the 1950s and 60s - a second lead actor.  He had a career on radio, stage, TV and films for over three decades.

Hank Patterson as Abe Merar.  Wonder if he's any relation to the Merar's in 'The Score is even?'
I know you know this guy.  He has appeared in many of things.  He was  semi-regular on "Gunsmoke" from 1963 and stayed until it's end in 1975 .  Mostly as Hank Miller, but he did play other characters on that show.  At the same time he was starring on "Gunsmoke" in  he was also appearing in the series, "Petticoat Junction" (1963-66) and "Green Acres" (1965-71) as Fred Ziffel.
He played Pete Duggan on "The New Adventures of Spin and Marty"
 He was married for over 60 years to the same lady, Daisy.

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