The Gaucho

"The Gaucho" is the 14th episode of The Rifleman Season One and the 14th episode overall. Directed by Jerry Hopper and written by Bruce Geller, it aired on December 30, 1958.
==Synopsis==
Lucas and Mark get caught up in local tensions after an Argentinian landbuyer arrives in North Fork, leading to conflicts with some of the town’s residents who see them as "pepperguts."
==Watch==
==Plot==
Lucas and Mark stop at the North Fork bank, where John Hamilton tells them that local landowner Rumson just sold his property without saying to who, left the bill of sale with him, and left North Fork. Whoever bought Rumson's land upped the highest bidder, Curge's offer by $1,000. While Curge is discussing the matter with Lucas, a Argentinian man named Juan Argentez comes in and picks up the bill of sale. This upsets Curge, who goes on a rant about "pepperguts."
Outside the bank, Mark and some other students mock Manolo and Nita Argentez, Juan's son and daughter. Mark calls Manolo "peppergut" right as Lucas comes out from the bank, to Lucas's horror. The next day, Lucas rides to the Argentez range and arranges for Mark to spend time with Manolo to reconcile Mark's prejudice, to both Mark and Manolo's displeasure.
As arranged, Mark arrives on the Argentez ranch the next day and awkwardly meets with Manolo. The two ride on the ranch together, and Manolo starts to show Mark his skills in roping the calves using boleadoras. While Manolo is showing Mark the boleadoras, he spots his sister Nita riding on the ranch with a man from town, Ned Dunnell, which angers him.
As Ned Dunnell leaves the Argentez ranch after kissing and saying goodbye to Nita, Manolo stops him and threatens him to stay away from his sister, that she is for caballero, not a gringo.
Manolo continues teaching Mark how to use the boleadoras and the two start warming up to each other. Downtown, Curge watches Manolo from afar as he demonstrates the boleadoras' capacity as a weapon to Mark. That night, as Ned Dunnell arrives on the Argentez' ranch to meet with Nita, Ned is assaulted and killed by an unseen assailant.
Lucas arrives to downtown North Fork, where Marshal Micah Torrance and a crowd of people examine Ned Dunnell's body with his head bashed in. Curge pipes up and pins the blame on Manolo, citing the boleadoras' capacity to bash people's heads in, and tries to muster up a mob to go get Manolo. Lucas takes Micah aside and tells him to keep Curge and the mob occupied while Lucas goes and talks to Manolo. After Lucas leaves, Micah challenges Curge's position, and the mob loses interest and disperses.
Lucas rides out to Manolo and Mark. Lucas tries to get Manolo to come to town with him, telling him that Ned Dunnell has been murdered, but Manolo refuses. Lucas persists and tells him that he will be considered innocent until proven guilty, and he has nothing to fear if he's innocent. Manolo proclaims he is guilty, whips the boleadoras at him and runs at Lucas with a knife. The two get in a scuffle, and Manolo ends up with his own knife in him and dies.
Micah, Juan and Nita arrive to the scene. Juan tearfully tells Lucas that Manolo saw his own mother killed by outlaws when he was 10 and it twisted him, which is why they left Argentina, but now that Manolo has paid his debt, they don't have to run anymore.
==Cast==
===Main===
*Lucas McCain - Chuck Connors
*Mark McCain - Johnny Crawford
*Micah Torrance - Paul Fix
===Recurring===
*John Hamilton - Harlan Warde
===Guests===
*Manolo Argentez - Perry Lopez
*Juan Argentez - Larry Dobkin
*Nita Argentez - Chana Eden
*Ned Dunnell - Dennis Cross
*Curge - Stuart Randall
*Bobby - Bobby Crawford
*Danny - Morris Lippert
*Cowboys - Montie Montana, Lauren Lanes
Category:Episodes
Category:Season One episodes
Category:Episode pages with completed plot sections
Category:Episode pages with overly long plot summaries