The Angry Gun

"The Angry Gun" is the 12th episode of The Rifleman Season One and the 12th episode overall. Directed by David Swift and written by Samuel A. Peeples, it aired on December 16, 1958.
==Synopsis==
Lucas and Mark share a stagecoach trip with a Marshal and his prisoner, Johnny Cotton. Johnny's gang arrives to free their partner and rob the stage, including all of Lucas's money.
==Watch==
==Plot==
Lucas and Mark are riding a stagecoach on a long trip home after selling their herd, sharing the stagecoach with a marshal transporting his prisoner Johnny Cotton. The driver stops to water the horses, and the passengers get out to stretch their legs. Suddenly, a couple outlaws arrive on horseback to free Johnny and shoot the Marshal down. Now freed, Johnny takes Lucas's money and rifle, and the outlaws break into the safebox. Johnny puts the money from the safebox into his saddle bag. Johnny and his two outlaw partners ride off with all of the money and Lucas's rifle.
The driver loads the injured marshal into the stage and gets ready to depart. Lucas asks the driver to take Mark to Mrs. Peterson's while he sets off after the outlaws.
Lucas follows the gang on foot and catches up with them. Johnny shoots towards him, and one of Johnny's partners, Blade Kelby, goes to check that he's really dead. While he's checking on him, Johnny and his other outlaw partner Abe Jordon continue on without him. Meanwhile, Kelby finds Lucas unharmed and they get into a brawl, resulting in Kelby getting knocked out. Lucas takes Kelby's gun, and rides off on Kelby's horse.
The next day, Lucas catches up with Jordan and Johnny again. Watching them from high above on a cliff, he initiates a rockfall down onto them, and Jordan gets injured from it. He dies while begging Johnny for help as Johnny just watches. Johnny continues on alone.
The next day, Lucas is tracking Johnny, when Johnny calls out to him from a cliff high up, pointing his rifle at Lucas. Lucas takes cover and shoots back, but can't get a good shot as he is using Kelby's handgun and handguns are bad for shooting straight at a distance. Lucas grabs a wood board and some sticks, and uses it to rig a makeshift aiming device for the handgun. He is able to use it to land a shot on Johnny Cotton.
Lucas goes back to Mrs. Peterson's house to reunite with Mark.
==Cast==
===Main===
*Lucas McCain - Chuck Connors
*Mark McCain - Johnny Crawford
===Guests===
*Johnny Cotton - Vic Morrow
*Blade Kelby - Gregory Walcott
*Abe Jordan - Leo Gordon
*Stage Driver Mason - Harry Hickox
*Marshal - Joe Quinn
*Mrs. Peterson - Kathleen Mulqueen
==Footnotes==
Category:Episodes
Category:Season One episodes
Category:Episode pages with completed plot sections
Category:Episodes where Lucas kills someone