|
|
|
|
|
|
| Episode No. | 13 |
| Episode Title | Young Englishman |
| Season | 1 |
| Guest Stars | Allen Case - Dick Rich - James Coburn - Ted de Corsia |
| Airdate | 12/16/58 |
| Writer | Arthur Weiss |
| Director | Arnold Laven |
| Synopsis | Lucas McCain accuses the young foreman of a neighboring ranch of rustling one of his calves. Mark and I were traveling home from a cattle sale on the stagecoach. One of the men struck up a conversation admiring my rifle and the way it was made. He'd seen me shoot in a match while in Fort Sumner. The man thought I was a pretty good shot, almost as good as him, but if he'd been shooting in the match, he'd have been the winner. Mark defended my skill saying, "My Pa is the best shot in the whole world." I told the boy not to brag on such things. "I'm Johnny Cotton," he proclaimed. The coach hit a bump and the predicament of the man was revealed. He was handcuffed to the Marshal and on his way to trial. Johnny soon tried his hand at escape. He reached for my rifle while we were all napping. Fortunately a shift in the stage awakened me before he could get his hands on the rifle. After a warning for Johnny from the Marshal a friendly conversation continued about the virtues of a handgun compared to a rifle. I told Johnny I preferred a rifle. "I'm a rancher. I use my gun for hunting animals not men." Johnny agreed a rifle was good for over 40 yards but there was nothing like the feel of a good handgun. Little did we know Johnny's gang was waiting up ahead to bushwhack us. When we stopped for a rest and water break Johnny's men were on the scene. Mark was grabbed first at the stagecoach when he went to get the canteens. The Marshal was shot and Johnny was freed from the cuffs. They shot the strongbox open and tucked the money in Johnny's saddlebags. Johnny decided he would take my cattle money too and the rifle. He even took our food. "You got good money for your cattle," he told me. After the men rode away and things settled down we loaded the Marshal on the stage to get help for him at Ten Mile Station. I loaded Mark on the stage and asked the driver to get him to Mrs. Peterson's house. I knew I had to go after Johnny and his gang. "It's your funeral," the driver barked. "Pa, do you hafta," Mark asked? "He took all the money we've got," "But Pa, you don't have your rifle." I had to go, even without my rifle. Since Johnny and his gang chose to go thru the rough mountain terrain to avoid a posse this meant they'd be walking more than riding. Now I might be able to keep up with them. Once I got a little too close. When they noticed me trailing them Johnny tried a shot at me with my rifle. I fell down the mountainside to make it seem like I'd been hit. The first man, Blade Kelly, came down to check the situation over. As we struggled his gun fell onto the rocks and was broken, but Kelly was dead. At the top of the mountain Kelly's horse was there and I hopped on to go after the other two. I got ahead of them and set up a trap with a pile of rocks at the top of a higher mountain. When the two men came underneath me I pushed the rocks down on them injuring Johnny's other partner, Jordan. Johnny didn't care; he just sat there and watched the man die. Johnny tried another shot at me but missed. Since he had my rifle he was sure now he could kill me and then he'd have all the money for himself. Johnny went on his way and I was able to get Jordan's handgun from his body. I stuck it in my belt and hoped for the best. In a canyon up ahead Johnny lay in wait for me. He caught me off guard as he yelled from a higher position. I tried firing at him but he was up too high for my bullets to reach him. He had the advantage now because he had my rifle. I ran for cover behind the only boulder in sight. I noticed the board beside me. I had an idea. Would it work? Could I use the board to act as a rifle barrel? I had to give it a try or Johnny was gonna kill me. I grabbed the board in between shots and stuffed the butt of the six-shooter in a small knothole. I used a stick on the other end of the board as my sight. This lengthening trick would help me aim and shoot as if I had my rifle. It was worth a try. Johnny taunted me while he moved up the hillside to kill me. He fired at me again. I took aim and fired back. It worked! The bullet struck Johnny in the stomach. I ran to the top of the hill just as he fell. Finally, I had my rifle back, my money, and the money from the strongbox. I was anxious to get back to the boy. Mark heard me riding in and ran to meet me and we embraced. "How are you, Pa," he asked. "Just fine, son." It sure was good to see my boy again. Episode Summary written by Margie Straub of riflemanconnors.com |
| Back to
list | |