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THE RIFLEMAN – The Spiked Rifle - 1959 This is episode 49 of the 1958 to 1963 western series that ran for 168 episodes. Chuck Connors headlines as a world class hand with a Winchester rifle. This of course ends up getting him in no end of trouble.

The local bank is sending out a larger than normal amount of cash with the weekly stage. They hire an extra guard for the run. What the bank does not know, is that said guard has been bushwhacked and shot dead by three bandits. The three, Richard Devon, Baines Barron, and the always villainous, Jack Lambert, now ride into North Fork to watch the stage. They intend to rob said stage the next day after it leaves town.

Bank manager, Harlan Warde, is worried about the guard not showing up. He hires Chuck Connors to do the two day job. Gunmen Barron and Lambert know of Connors and are not happy about him riding shotgun. They know his reputation with a rifle. The third member of the group, Richard Devon, just smiles and says not to worry.

The next day the stage leaves for its run. Stopping at a way station to change horses, the stage is approached by Devon. Connors, gun in hand asks what his business is. Devon calmly tells Connors to turn over the strongbox. When Connors levels his rifle, Devon smiles and says they are holding his son, Johnny Crawford hostage. "Fork over the cash or the boy dies". Connors, stuck between the old rock and a hard place, complies with the request.

Once Devon has stuffed the cash in his saddlebags he tells Connors that his son will be released that evening at Connors' ranch. Devon tips his hat and rides off. Connors quickly saddles a horse and sets off for his ranch. He pushes the beast to the limit and gets to the ranch in record time. He finds son Crawford snoring away on a pile of hay. Connors has been fooled. Devon never had Crawford at all.

If Connors had been less than amused before, he is now burning red hot. He saddles up a new horse and sets out to find Devon and his bunch. That night, he comes up on a campfire. He quietly sneaks up on the two around the fire. He steps out into the light and yells, "Don't move or you are dead." Nobody moves for the very good reason that the two, Barron and Lambert are already gone to the big round-up in the sky. It seems that their partner, Devon had decided to cut Barron and Lambert out of the split. Connors sits down by the fire, he will continue tracking Devon the next day.

Connors finds Devon in the saloon of the first town he hits. He is in the middle of a card game, using of course the proceeds of the robbery as a stake. Connors steps up with rifle at the ready. "The game is up." Connors says to Devon. Devon does not make a move. He does however offer $3,000 in cash to the man who will kill Connors. Needless to say, one half-drunk cowboy, Rod McGaughy makes a play. He manages to get off one round before Connors blows holes in him. Connors quickly turns back to Devon and sees him slowly sliding to the floor. The round the cowboy had gotten off had hit Devon. He smiles one last time and expires. Connors gathers up the cash and heads back to North Fork.

The director here is long-time Republic Pictures fixture, John English. English cranked out between 5and 8 low budget programmers and serials a year for Republic. Best known of these are, ZORRO RIDES AGAIN, THE LONE RANGER, FIGHTING DEVIL DOGS, DICK TRACY RETURNS, HAWK OF THE WILDERNESS, DAREDEVILS OF THE RED CIRCLE, DICK TRACY'S G-MEN, ZORRO'S FIGHTING LEGION, ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL and DICK TRACY VS CRIME INC. (b/w)