'The Visitor'
Mark and I were getting all slicked up to go into town to meet the stage. Margaret's best friend, Ann Dodd was stopping in North Fork on her way to Albuquerque. Ann helped take care of Margaret during the epidemic. Her husband and son had died right after Margaret. The boy would now be about Mark's age. She was a fine woman. She was the prettiest girl in town. When I told Mark that, he questioned me. "Prettier then Ma?" I paused for a moment. I couldn't
help but think back on Margaret, the woman I love. "Mark, your mother had more than looks. There was something special that came from deep inside her."
It was good to see Ann. She was just as pretty as ever. She remarked how much Mark favored his mother. I was proud of him, he was the perfect gentleman. I sent Mark on to school and escorted Ann to the hotel. As she was checking in, Eddie asked her is she was staying long. I was disappointed when she said she was just staying over night. I had hoped she would have stayed a few days. Especially since her uncle was on the mend. I told her that Mark would be disappointed and me too. She agreed to stay over one more day. I wanted here to come to the ranch for dinner tonight. Eddie warned her about my cooking, so she volunteered to cook a goose. We headed over to Hattie's to get our supplies. As we were getting ready to head on out to the ranch, we ran into Micah. Micah liked Ann, in fact he was funny. He was so prim and proper when I introduced him to Ann, you'd think she was going to be here to vote.
"Well Ann, this is home." "Well, I believe Mark was right. You know, for two bachelors it really looks fine." She was pleased how I made a home for Mark and myself. As she looked out the window she remarked about how beautiful the country around here was. I wondered why 
she moved to the city when she always loved the country. Maybe she was running, running away from the way things were. She talked about how empty everything was when she had lost her husband and her boy. She wanted to hear about Mark and me. I got caught up in the moment talking about Mark that I had forgotten about her loosing her boy. When I apologized she was very understanding. "Life is for the living, right?" Said Ann
I got a shirt out of a drawer to make an apron for Ann. What a mess it was. She laughed. I never thought of it being untidy until now. It sure put a different light on things, having a woman around. "I hope it's a good light Lucas. I mean, it would be a sad day if men folks thought they could get along without us. Wouldn't it?" I told her how nice it was having her here. I then went out to unhitch the team. I was glad she was there and I felt she was glad to be here. She hung up my hat and started to get dinner around.
We had a nice dinner. While Ann and Mark was finishing up the dishes I went to get some fire wood. Ann and Mark hit it off really well. They got to talking about hunting and fishing. When Ann told him how she used to make her Daddy's trout flies. "They were just as light as a feather too," said Ann. Mark really got excited. "Well now that's something. Ya' know, we got real good fishing around here." "Brook or lake," asked Ann. "Brook, and they're really big this time of y....." 
With all the excitement, Mark put his elbow in Ann's apple pie. With a taste of the elbow pie, Mark got an idea. He wanted Ann to place her pie in the contest at the Founder's Day Fair. He felt she could win. She told him she couldn't enter because she didn't live here in North Fork. "I sure wish you did," said Mark. I was just entering the house when I heard the end of their conversation. "Did what," I asked. "Live with us, there's lots of room." That was a little awkward. I told Mark he better get ready for bed.
Ann and I went out on the porch. It was such a nice evening. We talked. She liked what I had done here. She felt it was solid, like me. "Do you know what I said to myself when you took Mark under your arm and left town?" "No," I replied. "I said to myself, there goes wild, wild Lucas. "My hurt is very deep. Wild Lucas. You know, you left town without saying good bye to me." My hurt was deep. I just wanted to take Mark and start over," I said. Ann understood.
I took Ann back to town. "Lucas, does it mean a great deal to you, my staying over?" "I looked at her and nodded. "Course you never were a talking man, and I like that about you." We kissed and said good night.
Micah came over and asked me to have a beer with him. He was asking all kinds of questions about the ranch. I told him he didn't ask me over just to talk about the ranch. He asked me how I hit it off with Ann. He figured the way we were acting there could be something in the wind. "You could have figured wrong. Then he asked, if I happened to do 
anything that would make her jump to any conclusions. He got me thinking, maybe I didn't make things clear enough. I had to go talk to Ann.
Ann didn't know that her Uncle had passed away. With all this traveling, the news hadn't caught up with her yet. She also didn't know that Jenny and Pete Morgan, a murderous pair, planned on killing her, just like they did her uncle. They planned on stopping her before she can claim her inheritance. They couldn't kill her in Albuquerque, it might look suspicious. They had found out that she was stopping over in North Fork to visit me. So they decided to come to North Fork. They were staying in a room across from Ann. They waited for her to come back from my place. Pete was getting more and more nervous. After Ann got to her room, Pete waited for Ann to fall asleep. He then sneaked into her room and tried to suffocate her with a pillow. Just as I got to her room, I could hear screams. I barged into her room to find Pete with a pillow over her. I went over and grabbed him. I hit him again and again. There was a fight. Pete headed for the door. Jenny heard the screams and the commotion. She came out into the hall, right outside of Ann's room and started shooting. She had shot and killed Pete.
I took Ann to catch the stage to Albuquerque. As Ann stepped into the stage, I took her by the arm. "Ann, when you finish settling you uncles estate, I want you to come back, Permanently Ann." "The you had been thinking about it," said Ann. "I've been thing about it," I said. We kissed. "Oh Lucas, I want to very much, but, there's just one thing I'm afraid of." "Afraid, why Ann, why are you afraid?" "I just know there could be no replacement for Marks mother. I just couldn't accept that and I don't think you could either. Am I wrong Lucas?" "I don't know," I said. "All a board," yelled the stagecoach driver.
Ann kissed me, then said goodbye. I knew she was right. I wasn't ready yet to let go of Margaret. She knew that and now, I did too. Maybe not right now, but later. I still needed time. I was standing there watching the stage drive out of sight when I hear Mark yelling, "Pa, Pa, and I got the teacher to let me out early too. Did she say anything? Is she coming back? Well is she?" Pulling on my sleeve. "Yes Mark, she's coming back. Of course she's coming back. That's what old friends are for." Mark grabs my arm and says, "Lets go fishin'. Boy those big ones are really bitin'.
Piddlin' stuff.....Writers: William F. Leicester, Chuck Connors & Wally Bennett ~ Director: Joseph H. Lewis
Christine White played Ann Dodd. She was Margaret's best friend and the niece of Jonathan Dodd.
Christine White appeared in "Magnum Force," "The Fugitive," "Bonanza," "Have Gun Will Travel," "Father Knows Best" and several other things.
"As of September 1998, Christine lives in Washington, D.C. and publishes a political newsletter." Thanks Tracy W. for the update!
Michael Pate appeared in 5 episodes - he first appeared in the 'New Orleans Menace,' he played Xavier, the man who thought Lucas to be 'a muchy man.' His next episode was 'The Second Witness,' he played Brad Davis, he was the man dead set on killing Lucas for testify against his brother. In 'The Visitor' he played Pete Morgan, he tried to kill Ann Dodd in this episode. In 'The Mescalero Curse,' he played Mogollan, an Apache Indian who put 'The Mescalero Curse' on Lucas. The last episode he played Sanchez, in 'The Executioner,' the Indian and one of the heavies that came to collect his share of stolen money from a friend of Lucas's that just got out of jail.
He was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. When World War II broke, he served in the Australian Army in the SWPA unit. He was later seconded to the 1st Australian Army Amenities Entertainment Unit - The Islanders - in various combat areas.
Michael Pate began his career in 1938 writing and broadcasting a program called 'Youth Speaks' for ABC Radio with George Ivan Smith. He also wrote for newspapers and magazines and began writing as a book and theatre critic. He started acting in 1941.
He also was a TV Series writer for "Rawhide."
June Vincent the evil villainess, Jenny Morgan, in this episode. She has done many of things from Streets of San Francisco to just about all the westerns back when. She was blond-haired leading lady in low-budget Hollywood fare of the 40's. Another guest star on "The Untouchables."
John Harmon as Eddie Halstead owner/hotel clerk of the Hotel Madera. John Harmon appeared in 13 episodes as Eddie Halstead. Eddie Halstead was first introduced to "The Rifleman" in 'Duel of 'Honor.'
Ralph Moody appeared in a total of 12 episodes of "The Rifleman" beating John Anderson and John Milford out at 11 episodes. He appeared in 9 episodes as Doc Burrage and in three other episodes. 'The Visitors' as Jonathan Dodd — 'The Spoiler' as Roy Merrick and 'The Hangman' as Eban Muchen.
There were two doctors before Doc Burrage although neither of them were ever named or given credit. Those two episodes were 'The Sharpshooter' and 'The Marshal.' In 'End of a Young Gun' Lucas told Hank he would go get Doc Sedley? Doc Burrage was first introduced to 'The Rifleman' in 'The Pet.'
Doc Burrage was a regular character ~ how many different actors played Doc Burrage? Can you name them?
*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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