Former boxer Joe Kagan moves to Sleepy Eye to help with the maintenance of the blind school while Adam and Houston are out of town. Joe is still in love with Hester Sue, but she is being courted by another man.

New student Sylvia Webb, who has physically matured faster than most of her classmates, piques the physical curiosity of some of her male classmates. Albert goes along at first, but quickly becomes friends with Sylvia. However, he is unaware that she is trapped in a horrifying world: She's being stalked (and is eventually attacked by) a masked rapist; her father has a cold, uncaring attitude toward Sylvia's ordeal; and her cruel classmates continue to taunt her. Eventually, Sylvia collapses at school from exhaustion.