260

Uncovering a secret passage in her cell, Maggie disappears into the darkness, stalked by a malevolent Barnabas.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: My name is Victoria Winters. A brilliant afternoon sun brightens the walls of Collinwood, and all is silent except for the cries of the gulls that circle overhead and the buzz of the bees in meadows. But not far from the great house, there is one that cannot know the sunlight, only the darkness of a prison cell in which she is to die. There is one who would save her, but he is haunted by fear, fear that her salvation would mean his own death.
At the Old House, Willie is repairing a window when he glances out fearfully as a church bell tolls in the distance. Maggie Evans has less than three hours to live. He determines to help her, hollering at the portrait of Barnabas Collins that the vampire should be the one to die, then both he and Maggie will be free. He starts to head down toward the cellar to destroy Barnabas only to stop as his fears return. He is helpless to prevent Maggie's impending death.
Act I
Willie, bringing a tray of food, checks on Maggie in her cell. He notices Sarah's doll, but Maggie refuses to let him touch it. He offers her a glass of milk, only to prevent her from drinking it. He laced it with poison in order to give Maggie an easy death. Willie leaves her with the decision, and she pleads with him to help her escape. Again, he refuses out of fear of Barnabas' retribution. Maggie continues to call after him as he leaves her alone in the cell.
Act II
Shortly afterward, Sarah appears before Maggie playing London Bridge on a flute. In a moment of clarity, Maggie wonders if the little girl is all in her imagination. But it is soon clear that Sarah is real, and Maggie begs her to tell her father where she can be found. Sarah, who doesn't want Maggie to die, agrees to help... although she's not supposed to tell the secret of how to escape from the cell. Instead, she gives Maggie a cryptic riddle. Then, as quickly as she appeared, Sarah vanishes.
Act III
At the Evans cottage, Sam is working on a new painting when Sarah appears. Sam, believing she's a local child who came in, learns that she is looking for him, and admires his artwork. She wonders if Sam might paint a picture of her, and he agrees to a drawing. Sam learns that Sarah has been away for a long time, and that's she's good at keeping secrets. He comments on her unusual clothing, and Sarah wonders if Sam has a little girl. When Sam talks about Maggie and how much he misses her, Sarah asks if he searched for his missing daughter on the beach below Widows' Hill. She suggests he goes there tonight because he might find her. Sarah is sure of it. Sam looks away to finish his sketch, but when he glances up again Sarah is gone.
Act IV
Sunset approaches and Barnabas wakes in his coffin. Meanwhile, Maggie is desperately trying to figure out Sarah's riddle. Slowly, she begins to put the pieces of the clue together. She counts the bricks beneath the little grating above her. She panics as she hears Barnabas moving toward her cell. Maggie finds a loose brick, and after several attempts, a small panel opens. She hurries through moments before Barnabas arrives and finds her gone. Clutching Sarah's doll, she wanders through cramped, cobwebbed passages with Barnabas close behind.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Sarah: One, two, away they flew. Three, four, by the door. Five, six, count the bricks. Seven, eight, the clue is grate. Nine, ten, home again.
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: Willie: Barnabas Collins, it's you that should die.... I should take this hammer, go downstairs, and kill you!
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: Maggie: Little girl, I don't know who you are or why you've come, but you have to help me!
== Dramatis personae ==
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie Evans
* John Karlen as Willie Loomis
* David Ford as Sam Evans
* Sharon Smyth as Sarah Collins
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* The original videotape master of this episode is lost. However, a filmed kinescope copy does exist.
=== Story ===
* Sarah once learned a secret about the room in the Old House cellar, but her father forbade her from ever revealing it, even to her brother (Barnabas).
* Sarah once posed for a portrait.
* The portrait of Barnabas, painted by Sam, is now framed and hanging over the fireplace in the Old House.
* Why didn't Maggie close the door to the secret passage after she went through it, especially since she could hear Barnabas' footsteps coming? At this point in the story, Maggie's sanity is questionable. Maybe she was just not thinking straight.
* GHOSTWATCH: Sarah's ghost appears to Maggie. Later, Sarah's ghost appears to Sam.
* INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Willie: I can't let Maggie die; Maggie: The riddle.
* TIMELINE: Day 88 begins, and will end in 261. 3pm at start of this episode.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* At the end of Act 1, as the camera dollies into a close-up of the glass of poisoned milk, it seems to bump into the crate Maggie's food is sitting on as the milk in the glass splashes back and forth.
* Sharon Smyth has a little difficulty with her lines.
* When Sarah is talking to Sam, she says "Widow Hill" instead of "Widows' Hill."
* The way Barnabas is lying in his coffin, there's no way to shut the lid without cutting off the top of his head. Also, the lid of the coffin is open before he has awakened, which is usually not the case. And finally, it's not clear why Barnabas is wearing his cloak and cape while he is in his coffin, as well as while he is going down to the dungeon where Maggie is imprisoned. He has never done this before.
*When Barnabas enters into the secret passage to follow Maggie, the foot of a crew member can be seen at the door of the cellar on the lower right of the screen.
* The distance from the basement stairs to Maggie's cell is extremely long, with Barnabas walking through what seem to be several corridors and down multiple steps. Maggie hears his footsteps for an extended period of time from the time Barnabas comes down the stairs. In past scenes, Barnabas and Willie have arrived at her cell shortly after she (and we) begin hearing approaching footsteps. As well, we have seen before that Maggie's cell is actually not far from Barnabas's coffin.
== End credits announcements ==
* Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
==External links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 260 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 260 - The Secret of my Suspense
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 260: One, two, away they flew
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 260: 6/23/67
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