The Sister

'The Sister'
Episode 9
While waiting for the stage to leave for North Fork, Rebecca Snipe over heard a conversation among two men. "You leaving us Earl?" "I'm taking a little trip on the stagecoach Mike," said Earl. "Whatcha' gonna do?" "Meeting some friends, Injun Adams and Roy Thursby," said Earl. "What are you boys up to?" "I'll tell you, but if you pass it on to the law I'll deny saying it. We're gonna kill us 'a man,' friend, we're gonna kill us a 'big man' with a big mouth," bragged Earl. He was so busy shooting off his mouth that he didn't realize that someone had over heard what they had intended to do. The girl never acknowledged what she had just heard and the stagecoach ride to North Fork went smoothly.
"Ouch," said Mark. "Sorry, son." "Pa why can't I get my haircut downtown like you?" Asked Mark. "Well we can only afford one store bought haircut this month son." "Pa, can I ask you a question?" "Just so you hold your head still, what do you want to ask me?" "It ain't easy to ask, I've been meaning to ask you for a long time," said Mark. "Sounds important, why don't you ask and get it over with?" "Well, [he hesitates] do you, [again he hesitates] have you ever thought of marrying another woman?" "Marrying a, what made you think of that?" "Well, like I said, I've been thinkin' of it for quite a spell." I happen to glance down at an open book lying on the table. There was a picture of a woman with a boy sitting on her lap. It appeared as if she was reading to him. Now it all seemed to be coming together. I grinned and said, "Yes, I'd like to take another wife someday, that's only natural." "When?" Ask Mark. "When I find the right woman." "How will you know her?" "I think I'll know her when I meet her son." With a big grin on his face he asked, "What will she be like?" "Well, she'll have to cook and sew and scrub. Her hands gotta be soft, she's gotta have hair like the crimson as the setting sun. Eyes as brown as chestnuts. She's gotta wear a flower because that's womanly. Ride a horse like a man." "A woman like that is gonna be kinda hard to find, ain't she Pa?" Asked Mark. "Very hard to find son," I said. I told Mark to get washed up and we'd go into town and pick up the material for that new shed.

As Rebecca was getting off the stage, Mark saw her, he was mesmerized with her. She was the prettiest girl he had ever seen. To Mark, Rebecca looked exactly like the ideal wife. The one that I described earlier. She had all the qualities I was looking for in a woman. So he decided to find out some information about her. Rebecca went into the stage depot to wait for her brothers to pick her up. Mark poked his head inside of the depot. Rebecca saw him and invited him in to talk with her.   "Hello, come on over, I won't bite you," said Rebecca. Mark took off his hat and went over to sit down and talk to Rebecca. "What's your name?" Ask Rebecca. "Mark McCain." "Mark, well that's from the Bible," said Rebecca. "Yes ma'am, kinda runs in the family. I have an uncle named Abraham, my grandmother's name was Ruth and my Pa's name is Lucas, that's the long name for Luke, I think, said Mark. She told him that she had two brothers, Joshua and Peter. She then introduced herself as Rebecca. The Bible names ran in her family too. Mark asked her if she was visiting someone here in town. Rebecca told him that she lived here but was away visiting relativities in Kansas. "Ma'am, do you have a husband?" Mark asked. Rebecca was surprised by the question. "Do I what?" "Do you have a husband?" "Well, no, no not yet," she replied. But I hope to someday. I hope to have a husband and a boy exactly like you." "Do you really mean that? Asked Mark. "Of Course I do," replied Rebecca. With that Mark had one last question. "Do you ride a horse?" She told him she could ride a horse, better then her bothers could! "Wait, I'll be right back," said Mark. He hurried to find me so he could introduce me to Rebecca. He thought she was the perfect match for me!
He grabbed me by the arm and took me to the depot to meet Rebecca. It didn't take long for me to figure out what Mark's intentions were. Just as we were about to leave, Rebecca's brothers came in. We excused ourselves and left. They wanted to know who we were. The meeting between Rebecca and me made her think that I had used my son to meet her. I told Mark that I had a strange feeling that he had notions of me courtin' Rebecca. I asked that she was more his age then she was mine, and not to do that again! I sent Mark to tend the team and I went over to the blacksmith's to have Razor's shoe tended.

Micah came over and told me that the Snipe brother's had been asking questions about me. I told him I didn't know them. He told me they we're a bunch of wild ones. They never break the law more then to spend a Saturday night in jail. Rougher then a bronc. If they're again ya' it just too bad. If they like ya', you usually end up in trouble because you know them. "You just can't win," said Micah.   He said if he found out why they we're interested in me, he'd let me know.
I went over to pick up my supplies at Hattie's. She told me some guy had been asking about me. I told her that Micah had already told me. She then ask me if I was going by the depot and would I give the sewing basket to the lady who had bought it. She seemed to have left without it. I told her I would. Rebecca stopped me and told me it was hers. I told her I was just bringing it to her. Right after that the Snipe brother's came over and introduced themselves to me. "Howdy," said Joshua Snipe. I asked him what I could do for them. They wanted to get better acquainted, buy me a drink. "Milk, cause we ain't allowed in the saloons in this town," said one of the Snipe boys. I was reluctant, but they were persistent. So I agreed. They began asking me personal questions, since I have my sites set on their 'sister,' so they thought. I left them know it was none of their business and that I have no intentions towards their sister. But they found it hard to believe. Every time they turned around for some reason, I'm right there with her! Again I told them I had no intentions towards their sister. They didn't want to scare me away; they thought it was time Rebecca was thinking about a husband. I told them again, "I don't have any intentions towards their sister, NONE!"
Mark had the wagon ready. We were just leaving when Micah approached us. He told me this seemed to be the day for people to ask questions about me. Someone else was interested in me. "Who?" I asked. He motioned to a man setting on the bench. He told me he had been asking question about where I live and how to get there. So I approached the man and I told him if he wants to know anything about me that he is to ask me. He told me he found out all he wanted to know. He said it wasn't against the law to ask questions. "Now is it?" Battle asked. I told him I was going to keep an eye on him. Battle said, "Roy Thursby told me to say hello to you." I looked at him and walked away.   I remembered Roy Thursby; my testimony had put him to jail. I told Mark to ride on ahead and I'd pick up Razor and that I'd catch up with him down the road. Nels wasn't finished shoeing Razor, so I had to wait a few minutes. I decided to go down the street. I was pre-occupied and not watching where I was going when I bumped into Rebecca again. The Snipes boys started on me again. We get into an argument and decide to go out back and fight it out. I wanted to settle this once and for all! Of course, we know who wins!
As I left to go home, I was unaware three men had followed me. Rebecca saw this and remembered what she had overheard while she was in the stagecoach. She told her brothers.

After putting Razor in the barn, I headed for the house. I saw Earl Battle, Injun Adams and Roy Thursby on the porch of my home looking for me. In a low voice I told Mark to put the light out and get down. The three men heard me and turned, Battle with a gun on me. Thursby told me that he planned on killing me....."A big man with a big mouth." My testimony had sent Thursby to jail some time back and he threatened to kill me for it. I shot and I got Battle first, then Thursby. When I went to the house to see where Injun Adams was, I was not aware that he was behind me ready to shoot me in the back. Suddenly shots rang out, I turned and was surprised to find the Snipe brother's shot Injun Adams. "Looks like you needed a friend. No hard feelings?" They asked. They told me that their sister had saved my life. When she saw them follow me out of town she put two and two together and told them what she had overheard at the stage depot. They decided to check it out! I thanked the three of them. They proceeded to tell me that Rebecca has been engaged all along to a man back east, but they do have an older sister, Rhoda!

piddlin' stuff..... The mustache 'tuff guy' (Peter Snipe) was Dan Blocker.
He played Eric 'Hoss' Cartwright on "Bonanza." "Bonanza" was not on the air until a year later.   In which three episodes do we see two of the 'Cartwright boys?' There were three actors who appeared on "The Rifleman" that were regulars on "Bonanza" — do you know who they were?
Dan Blocker provided tenderness, strength and comedy for the viewing enjoyment for fans of all ages. Blocker's sudden death during the 1972-73 taping season left a void that could not be filled, and the series ended shortly afterwards.
There is a museum located in O'Donnell dedicated to Dan Blocker. O'Donnell is located in the panhandle of West Texas, about 40 miles south of Lubbock, Texas.
He started and owned the Bonanza steak house restaurant chain.
"The Long Goodbye" a 1973 movie was dedicated to him: "In Memoriam for Dan Blocker."   Robert Altman, who had directed many early episodes of "Bonanza" (1959, had originally cast his friend in the role of Roger Wade, but he died before filming commenced. The role subsequently was filled by Sterling Hayden.
   Mort Mills played Joshua Snipe in the episode of 'The Sister.' He was one of Rebecca's brother - the thin one. ; ) He also was in another episode of "The Rifleman." He played Jake Owens in 'The Jealous Man.' He was the 'The Jealous Man.'
He also appeared in his own series "Man without a Gun." He played Marshal Frank Tallman.
An excellent character actor. I don't think there was a show in the 50's - 60's & 70's he wasn't in.
Sherry Jackson played Rebecca. She was no newcomer to television, she had already appeared in her own series "Make Room for Daddy." She also played in "Branded" as Nell Beckwith in "Barbed Wire"
John Dierkes who played Nels in this episode also played Nels in 'Duel of Honor.' How many actors played Nels, Nile or was it Neils? Was it Swenson or was it Svenson? For the answer in detail and pictures.....go to my Blacksmith page.
Lance Fuller who played Earl Battle appeared in "Apache Woman" with Joan Taylor. This was before "The Rifleman". When he guest appeared in this episode, Millie's role wasn't created yet. He was best known for the 50's run of the mill horror & sci-fi pictures, many now receiving cult status. He had a bit part in "Singing in the Rain," but was not credited. He also had a leading role as a big game hunter Dan Fuller in "The Bride and the Beast."
Michael Morris was the man who Earl Battle was talking to in the beginning of the episode and told him they were going to kill them a big man? Michael was in 'The Sister,' which he went uncredited. He was also in another episode of "The Rifleman"—as Ed Bundy in
"The Anvil Chorus." He was the one whose wife had just had a baby boy.
He has appeared in "Will & Grace" ~ "What's Happening now" ~ "The Highwayman" ~ "Katts and Dog" and "The Highlander."
Michael Morgan as Injun Adams. He was the dad dude that wore the derby.
He has appeared in episodes of "Gunslinger"—"The Westerner"—"Tombstone Territory" —"Dragnet" and "The Gun That Won the West"
David Tyrrell as Roy Thursday
Hope Summers as Hattie Denton
In this episode Mark mentions his Grandmothers name and another uncle's name.....do you remember what they were? [hint - it's not his Uncle Johnny]
'The Sister'—When Lucas fights with the Pete Snipe (Dan Blocker) character and gets knocked to the ground, you can tell the man who is supposed to be Lucas is NOT because he has dark hair and a widows peak. Thanks Rob!
*If anybody has any information on any of the stars, and would like to share it, please get in touch with
Trivia—'The Sister'
The Rifleman Trivia Index
New Orleans Menace

The Safe Guard
Site Map
around the McCain Ranch
updated 4/4/08