ALFRED 'PEBO' PEABODY is a fatherless twelve year old boy who learns the true meaning of racial prejudice and religious bigotry during the early 1920's. While hiding in a graveyard on Halloween night Pebo and childhood friend BERT GUTHRIE witness a vicious attack by the KKK on Jewish immigrant LEVI ATTAMAN. Afraid of being implicated or killed by the perpetrators, neither boy talks about the incident or mysterious death of Pebo's mother SUSAN PEABODY which occurs soon after. Pebo moves east to attend boarding school and lives with an estranged Aunt. He reunites with Bert fourteen years later then discovers that time and faith have already delivered justice to the criminals.