For the last episode of season two, Pernell Roberts guest stars in this overly written political script that has Roberts playing an Irish dynamiter, Patrick Madigan, that has connections to possible murders in England. Pernell Roberts portrays this Irish hot-head than feels a slave to everything British. (Similar to the IRA - British conflict that was going on at that time.)
When Patrick Madigan is hired by the Barkleys in opening an abandoned mine, he is recognized by an English businessman as a man wanted for murder in England. Before a message can be sent to the proper authorities the Englishman ends up dead. When Nick confronts Patrick in the mine about the death, dynamite goes off burying Nick. Patrick Madigan can either save Nick or ride off to the next town.
Pernell Roberts does the best he can with the script. In fact he was the bright spot of the show. But the script called for the viewer to feel some remorse for the Irishman. They even used the connection of the caged eagle as a metaphor for the caged and mistreated Irishman Patrick Madigan. But it is really hard to feel sorry for someone that is wanted for political murder. And with that fact- this episode was hard to watch and hard to get a grip of exactly where the writers were going in this story. One moment he is killing the next moment saving lives. Was he a good victim or evil suspect? It really was never answered.
The best part of the episode was at the end when Nick released the caged eagle. But again that symbol could have two meaning depending on which ever side of the conflict you have taken. Never could get my head into this script.