Episode 1368

Aired: Wednesday September 23, 1971

Thayer David's voiceover: "Collinwood has been the repository of many mysteries in its long and tortured history. The current occupants of the great house have no sense of the great and mortal danger they face from events yet to come. Unbeknownst to them, a long time enemy of the Collins family has been brought to this place from beyond the boundaries of time. A mysterious newly arrived relative of the family and a long lost innocent spirit will be used by the forces of darkness to unleash that enemy's wrath, and unless these forces can be turned back, the Collins family may well face certain doom...."

Harrison comes downstairs and walks to the telephone. Quentin comes out of the drawing room as Harrison picks up the receiver. "Is Blair gone?" Harrison asks him. "Blair was here?" Quentin replies. "I didn't see him." Harrison answers "Good. That's one less problem for me to worry about tonight." As Harrison starts dialing, Quentin asks him what his other problems are. Harrison answers "Willie Loomis has gone mad. He attacked Julia Hoffman in this house a while ago and ran off into the woods. She's all right, but I think we should call the police." Quentin thinks about this a moment.

After the titles, Quentin takes the phone from Harrison's hand and tells him to "wait a moment." Harrison asks why, and Quentin answers "Loomis has always been somewhat of a dim bulb, but I can't understand any reason why he would suddenly go out of his mind. What did Blair want here tonight?" Harrison answers "Do you think Blair has something to do with Willie's behavior?" Quentin answers "I wouldn't be surprised. Somehow I always suspect him first whenever anything strange happens around here." Harrison answers "Perhaps I should call the police on Nicholas, then." Quentin laughs a little, and answers "The police don't quite have the right skills to deal with someone like Blair. The man is something of an expert in the black arts." Harrison asks "So whatever he may have done to Willie, assuming he did anything, would be part of any larger plans he may have?" Quentin smiles and says "You're a quick study, Harrison." Harrison smiles back and says "Then perhaps we should search the woods for Loomis before Blair finds him first. If we can calm him down, we might get some answers out of him." Quentin opens a drawer near the phone and takes out a gun. "I'm with you, but I don't want to take any foolish chances," Quentin says. "With Loomis or with Blair?" Harrison asks. Quentin thinks a moment and says "I guess we'll find out." The two of them leave. Meanwhile, Stokes is getting home and opening his door. He enters his house and puts some books down on a desk before turning on the light. He looks on the desk and sees a child's drawing. Surprised, he picks it up and studies it, and then turns to see Sarah standing at the other end of the room. "Sarah!" he says. "Sarah Collins!" She stands silently before him.

"Hello," Sarah says to Stokes. He asks her if she drew the picture, and she smiles and nods. "I was waiting for you and I wanted to draw something." He tells her it's very nice and thanks her. "Why have you come to see me, Sarah? We've never talked to each other before," he says. "I've seen you," she answers. "Oh?" he asks. "Where have you seen me?" Sarah answers "That's not important." Stokes says "Do you mind if I sit down? I've been on my feet all day, and I'm very tired. You can sit down too, if you like. I would like very much to talk to you." Sarah asks "Why? You've never talked to me before." Stokes sits, and Sarah sits in a chair opposite him. "I've heard a lot about you, Sarah. Other people who have seen you and spoken to you have told me about it." Sarah nods and says "Yes, I know. Why do they all tell you?" Stokes answers "Perhaps because they think I can help them somehow." Sarah asks "Why do they need help?" Stokes answers "Well, it depends who they are. Your brother Barnabas, for example...." Sarah gets a little scared, but Stokes calms her, adding "Don't be frightened, Sarah. You must have already known that I know he is your brother. He is also my friend." Sarah answers "I know. Is Maggie your friend too? She's my friend." Stokes says "Maggie....Maggie Evans..." to himself before turning back to Sarah. "Sarah, I have something very important to tell you about your brother Barnabas." Sarah gets interested and asks what it is. "You might remember that he was....different than he was before...." Stokes begins, but Sarah seems to get angry. "He was dead!" she yells. "He was dead and he hurt people! He tried to hurt my friend Maggie! He promised me he wouldn't!" Stokes answers "It's all right to be angry, Sarah. But please, listen to what I have to tell you. Will you promise me you'll stay here, in that chair, long enough to listen? Long enough to maybe be my friend?" Sarah looks at Stokes, thinking.

At the old house, Barnabas is reading when he hears a knock on the door. When he answers it, it's Quentin and Harrison, who quickly fill him in on Willie going nuts and attacking Julia. "And you suspect Blair?" Barnabas asks angrily. Quentin says yes, and asks Barnabas if he wants to help search for Willie. Barnabas answers that he hasn't heard any strange noises outside, so he doesn't think Willie may have tried to hide in the old house. Barnabas looks at Harrison and says "You chased him off when he attacked Julia, did you?" Harrison says "Yes, I managed to knock the fencing foil from his hand and he ran off through the window." Barnabas reluctantly thanks Harrison, adding "I owe so much to Julia... I don't know what I would do without her." Barnabas agrees to help them search for Willie, but as he's getting his cape, Stokes arrives. He asks what is going on, and when told of the events surrounding Willie and the possible involvement of Blair, Stokes comments "If Loomis is under Blair's power somehow, finding him would be of great importance, I'm sure. But we have a very important matter to discuss, Barnabas." Curious, Barnabas replies "We do?" Stokes nods, and Barnabas tells Quentin and Harrison he'll catch up to them later. Harrison tells Quentin that they should search different parts of the woods to find Willie more quickly. Quentin points out that he's got the only gun, but Harrison answers "I handled him before, I'm sure I can do it again." Quentin tells Barnabas that they will move towards the cemetery, and he should meet them there. Barnabas agrees, Quentin and Harrison leave, and Stokes is escorted into the living room. "What is your urgent business, Professor?" Barnabas asks. Stokes answers "I saw your sister Sarah tonight, Barnabas." Barnabas gasps "Sarah!" Stokes continues "Yes. And we had quite an interesting conversation. One that you need to hear about." Barnabas wonders.

"What did she say? Tell me, I must know!" Barnabas pleads. Stokes recaps how Sarah appeared to him, and how "in her own childlike way" understood what had happened to Barnabas in the past. "It's always fascinating how the mind of a child views the horrific things in this world," he says. "But if she understands, why won't she appear to me?" Barnabas whines. Stokes answers "She was afraid. She was afraid you hadn't kept your promise to her, but she wouldn't tell me what that promise was." Barnabas looks remorseful and says "I had promised her I would change. I promised her I would overcome the evil that had consumed me after I was cursed." Stokes nods, and says "I had assumed your promise was something like that. I told her you were human again, and that you had risked that humanity in order to save others." Hopeful, Barnabas asks "What did she say?" Stokes answers "She said nothing. She looked deep in thought. I turned away for a moment, and when I looked back, the child was gone." Barnabas gets sad again, and wonders if he'll ever see his "little Sarah" again. Stokes tells him "I believe she does want to see you, Barnabas. But there was one thing she said that I couldn't understand." Barnabas asks "What was that?" Stokes says "She insisted that you once tried to hurt her friend Maggie.... I assume she meant Maggie Evans. I tried to tell her how you fought to save Maggie from Roxanne Drew, but Sarah insisted she was afraid for Maggie." Barnabas turns away and says nothing, and Stoke continues "Barnabas, if I am to help you in any way, you must be completely honest with me. Did you ever try to hurt Maggie Evans?" Barnabas sighs and answers "It was so long ago when I was under the influence of that awful curse... I cannot escape the guilt from it." Stokes answers "Very aptly phrased, especially if Maggie Evans cannot escape the memory of it. I would think serious consequences would ensue." Barnabas answers "I know. Julia Hoffman is working with her. The memory of what happened only added to her trauma. I don't know what to do." Stokes adds "Perhaps that's what Sarah is waiting for. For you to do something to help Maggie Evans." Barnabas thinks about this, and then suddenly says "Professor, you were helping Quentin solve a mystery recently that intrigues me greatly." Stokes asks what, and Barnabas answers "The origin of Daphne Hopkins." Stokes answers "Yes, I had concluded that Professor Anderson or Petofi or whatever you want to call him had the power to reanimate a long dead spirit." Barnabas says "Did you study enough of Petofi's powers to understand them fully?" Stokes asks "Barnabas, what are you getting at?" Barnabas says "I wonder.....I wonder if we could duplicate what Petofi did. To reanimate a long dead spirit into a new live body." Stokes answers "I don't know what kind of powers Petofi had to attempt that, and you cannot be serious in asking me to..." Barnabas snaps "I'm quite serious. I must unlock that secret, Professor. Because then I can have my little Sarah back." Stokes doesn't look too hopeful.