Melanie falls victim to the plague, forcing the family to hold the dreaded lottery immediately lest Melanie and everyone else in the Collinwood die a slow and lingering death. The cowardly Gabriel (Christopher Pennock) continues to resist participating in the lottery, but iron-willed family matriarch Flora (Joan Bennett) has the final word in this and all other matters. Episode 1,211 of Dark Shadows originally aired on February 15, 1971.