I was on the south fork of my ranch doing some fencing when I saw Corey Hazlitt shoot a man down in cold blood and ride off. I went to see if I could help him. He was dead. I had no idea who this man was. I put him over his 
horse and headed into North Fork to see Micah. I asked Micah if he knew who this man was. He looked at him. "This is Joey Frances, he works for the Hazlitt clan up on Kayon Ridge," said Micah. "Hazlitt's son Corey just gunned him." "Did you see him do it?" Asked Micah. "Well, they road up to the ridge of my south fork, Corey blasted him out of his saddle then took off for the hills." "Hazlitt's have been trouble ever since they moved into those hills. Nobody's been able to prove anything on 'em," said Micah. "This can be proven Micah, I saw it!" Micah had Fred take the body down to the funeral parlor. He told me to come with him to his office. He wanted to notify every law officer in the territory.
The next morning Mark was out on the front porch studying for a history test before heading off to school. I told him if he didn't soon get to school he wouldn't make it in time to take that test. Just as Mark was leaving Micah rode in. "Good morning Lucas," said Micah. "Micah you're up early." "Corey Hazlitt was picked up last night in Willow Springs. The Sheriffs bringing him in this afternoon. You'll have to make the identification." said Micah. "Any time you say!" "The sooner the better, how about this afternoon?" Asked Micah. "Ill be there." I invited Micah to stay for coffee but he had to get back to town. "See you later Lucasboy." I saddled up Razor and headed into town.
I headed straight for Micah's to make that identification. "He's a liar! A lousy stinkin' liar,"
yelled Corey. "Well Lucas?" Asked Micah. "Like I said Micah, he killed Joey Frances." "Liar!" Yelled Corey. "Out on my south fork." "I wasn't even within fifty miles of his place that day." shouted Corey. "Liar!" "Are you willing to swear to your statement in court?" Asked Micah. "I'll swear to it." "Rotten Liar, Liar!" "I'll get you McCain!" "Either me or my old man!" "We'll get you, just remember that!" "Remember that McCain!" "The circuit judge is due in North Fork next Tuesday, that means the trail will be Wednesday morning," said Micah. "Wednesday morning. Alright Micah, I'll be there."
I had gone over to the hotel to have a cup of coffee and a piece of pie when a gentleman walked up to me. He introduced himself as C. Henry Whitmore. "Nice son you have. Nice gentleman, Mark." I wanted to know how he knew so much about my son. He said it was his business to know a great many things, when he was on a case. He was summoned from Santa Fe to represent a man who a great injustice had been done. He said that I was the architect of that injustice. He was talkin' about Corey Hazlitt. "Let's say you were mistaken when you identified him," said Whitmore. "Let's say not!" I said. "Joey Frances was a worthless despicable bushwhacker that would be missed by no one. That's a fact sir!" said Whitmore. "I saw Corey Hazlitt kill him, that's a fact too!" He then reached in his pocket and pulled out an envelope. In it was one thousand dollars. He had been commissioned to hand it over to me. I took the envelope from him and looked in it. "One thousand dollars could send that boy of yours to a good eastern college when the time comes," said Whitmore. "Now Mr. McCain, doesn't that sound logical to you, doesn't it sound reasonable?" Said Whitmore. "I'll tell you what Mr. 
Whitmore....." "Yes," he said. I threw the envelope at him. "You tell Frank Hazlitt the answer is no!" He got up from the table. "I'm taking the stage tomorrow. Meanwhile I'll be at this hotel in case you change your mind and want to get in touch with me," said Whitmore. "Take the stage today or I'll have you hauled in for trying to bribe a witness!" "Now get while the getting's good!"
Mark and I were out gathering some wood, when we saw two riders approaching. "How are you? You McCain ain't cha'?" Asked Corey's older brother. "That's right!" I said. "I wanna talk to you." "What do you want to talk about," I asked. About my little brother, Corey Hazlitt. "Mark, we're out of water son." I motioned him to leave. I wasn't sure what was gonna happen. I just wanted my son away from here until they left. "Now about Corey Hazlitt, you say the wrong thing at his trial, my little brother will hang." "I'll say the right thing and he'll hang." He laughed. "Now that's brave talk!" "Ain't that brave talk cousin Carl." They were both laughing. I didn't think I said anything so funny. I walked to the other side of the wagon. "All right, get off my property, you had your say." "One more word, every man got his price, ain't that right cousin? Yeah, his price." "Now sometime it be money and sometime it be a friend or maybe even a relative, a very close relative." He glanced over Mark's way. I went for my rifle. But cousin Carl had his gun drawn before I could get my rifle in hand. "Don't you make trouble for yourself McCain or for that fine lookin' boy 
of your'in. You know what I mean." They rode off. Mark came back with the canteen. He wanted to know what they wanted and if there would be any trouble. I told him there wouldn't be any trouble and we better get finish loading this wood. I told Mark I wanted him to stay close at all times and not to go anywhere unless I knew exactly where he was going.
The next morning when I got up Mark was gone. I went out to the barn. He wasn't there, his horse was gone. So I saddled up my horse and went looking for him. I was relieved to see him over the hill. "What are you doin' here?" I didn't give him much of a chance to answer me. "I told you to stay home!" I was worried and upset! "Didn't I? Well didn't I?" "Yeah," said Mark. "You were told to stay close!" "I've been out lookin' for you! I've been lookin' all over! You think I enjoy worryin'?" "How do you think I felt when I couldn't find you?" "I'm sorry," said Mark. "Never mind being sorry, the damage is done." "I gave you an order and you done just the opposite! Do you think I gave that order just to hear myself talk? Well, do you?" "Why did you deliberately disobey me?" He apologized. He said he wasn't thinkin'. Here he was fixing the fencing and I hadn't even noticed. He wanted to surprise me. I was too worried about him. I told him we were going home and packing his bags. I was takin' him to Glen and Iva Wilson's to stay for a few days. He wanted to know why. I just never thought to tell him what was goin' on before. I was too worried about him to think of what I was doin' to him. "We've always got along fine Mark, that's because we always spoke the truth to each other." "No secrets and nothing to hide." 
"Looks like I'm forgetting that." "Son, this was my fault, even getting excited the way I did and yelling like that, thats was my fault." "I just want you to know that it wasn't because I didn't trust you. It was because I was so worried." I guess there's no reason for you not to know what is really wrong. On the way I told him everything.
It was Wednesday, time for the trial. I was all ready to head out. I went out to the barn to saddle up my horse when unexpectedly Carl jumped me from behind. Corey's brother and his Pa. was there too. "Your a father, you got a boy you love," said Hazlitt. "I love him enough to bring him up the right way. "Now I ain't asking for no lectures, I'm just asking for my boys life." I told him there was nothing I could do about it. "They ain't gonna hang my Corey and your gonna see to it," said Hazlitt. "Since we can't talk no sense into ya'....." That's when they started beating me over and over.
It took all I could do, but I made it into town to testify. But before I testified I went over to the jail to see Corey. I told Micah to let Corey out of the jail. He was confused. "Let him out!" "Why?" Asked Micah. "Let him out!" Micah got the keys and unlocked the cell. You should have seen the big smirk on Corey's face. He started out the door. I grabbed him and slammed him up against the cell door. "Your father didn't wait around to hear my final say, so I'm tellin' it to you." "Nothing he can say or do can change my mind. That goes for bribes, threats against my son, and beatin' up on me." "Nothin!" "When I get on that witness stand I'm tellin' the truth, the whole truth so help 
me God. And I'm tellin' you now, Hazlitt, so you'll know just what to expect. You understand that?" I threw him back in the cell.
It wasn't over. Hazlitt had nothing to loose by killing me now. Micah told me he was going back to my place with me. I refused, but he wouldn't hear of it.
It was night. Micah and I rigged something up to make it look like I was setting at the table. The Hazlitt's slowly moved in. Carl wanted the first shot but Frank said it was his. He shot, nothing happened. He shot again, nothing happened. They slowly started to approach the house. Micah swung open the barn door. "Hold it," he said. "Drop you guns," I said. Then we all started shooting. Micah shot Corey's brother, and then I shot Carl. Hazlitt gave himself up. "Boy I sure don't understand you McCain." "No and you never will!"
Crawford in "The Lone Ranger" ~ 'The Cross of Santo Domingo' in 1956 [before "The Rifleman"] He was Mark's "Pa" before Lucas.☺Ever see this? You just gotta see this one!
