Episode 121 - 12/12/66

Vicki is tied to a chair and gagged. David arrives at the old house and calls out to Matthew, saying he's brought him cigarettes. Vicki tries to speak through her gag, and David hears but does not understand her. He approaches the bookcase which she's behind.

Outside the old house, Matthew approaches.

David calls out to the voice behind the wall when Matthew enters. David turns to see him as he's asking who's there.

David told Matthew that he forgot to give him cigarettes. Matthew asks what he was doing near the wall, and David says he heard something. Matthew says he must have imagined it. He drags David to the wall and asks if he still hears it. David says he does not. David asks if it has something to do with the secret of the house. David tells him that he heard a ghost, and Matthew laughs at him. Matthew tells him he's right. The house is full of ghosts and ghosts to be.

Mrs. Johnson tells Liz that she got chills hearing the men in the night calling out for Vicki. She says Matthew was crazy, and she's sure they won't see Vicki alive. Liz says she feels sorry for him. There's a knock at the door and it's the sheriff to see Mrs. Stoddard. Mrs. Johnson berates the sheriff for not having found Vicki, and he asks to see Liz.

The sheriff tells Liz he doesn't have any leads as to Vicki's whereabouts. They're reasonably sure that Matthew isn't near. The sheriff asks for a photo of Vicki for the missing person's report. She asks him if he has much hope for Vicki, and he says no.

David returns to the new house, and Mrs. Johnson says she's been looking for him. He sees the sheriff's hat, and asks if they found Vicki. She says no, and asks him about her missing cigarettes. He asks if she's supposed to smoke when she's working. She says she thinks he knows where they are, and he suggests they walked off by themselves. She checks his hands to see if he was smoking, He said if he wanted cigarettes he'd buy them.

David walks into the drawing room to see the sheriff. He asks if they have any clues about Matthew or Vicki. The sheriff says they have a few leads, but it's possible someone is trying to hide him. He also says it's against the law to harbor a criminal, making him an accessory after the fact. David asks if that would mean the person who helps him would go to jail, and the sheriff confirms that. Liz brings him a picture, and the sheriff departs.

David tells his aunt that the sheriff said anyone who helps Matthew could go to jail. He asks if she thinks Matthew has Vicki, and if so, if he would hurt her. She doesn't want to discuss it. He then asks about secrets at the old house. David starts to leave, and Mrs. Johnson confronts him again about her cigarettes before he runs outside.

David returns to the old house. Matthew exits the secret room, leaving the wall panel open, and looks outside through a broken window. He returns to close the secret door, and then opens the front door to let David in. David tells him that he was talking to the sheriff, and Matthew grabs him. David explains that the sheriff is going to look elsewhere, and only leave a few men behind. David also says that the sheriff told him that anyone helping Matthew would also go to jail. 

Our thoughts

John: Vicki blew her chance of being rescued by David. I think it's going to be up to the ghosts to save her.

Christine: I thought it interesting that she is not credited in this episode. I wonder if someone forgot to add her name to the credits because she wasn't actually present and they reused footage of her from the previous episode.

John: Mrs. Johnson is pretty direct in her accusations of David. He's going to have to be a little bit sneakier with her around the house. She also gets in some good digs on the sheriff, and goes right to doom and gloom when it comes to predicting Vicki's fate. A fine addition to Collinwood, this good woman.

Christine: Mrs. Johnson is a lot of fun to have around. When David asks if the Sheriff has a clue about Vicki's whereabouts, she tells him "When the cannery whistle blows at noon, he knows it's time for lunch. That, to him, is a clue, and it accounts for the size of him."

John: It seems like it's a matter of time until the law closes in on Matthew. It's only a question of will anyone else get hurt along the way.

Christine: Sheriff Patterson says to Liz about Matthew, "Well, he could be anywhere and everywhere." When Liz asks if Matthew might harm Vicki he says,  "Yes, he might, but on the other hand, he might not." Sheriff Patterson has got all the bases covered, so he is sure to find Matthew, but on the other hand, he might not.

Another Take #2 Episode. They are back to taping a week before air date.