Palladin is called in to resolve a Shakespearean witchy mystery, and he discovers that the evil is a smokescreen to protect the handicapped. Walter Coy, Barney Phillips, and Ralph Moody make up a good cast of supporting characters.
The story is a bit vague on what kind of illness caused many children to be mentally afflicted at a young age. The father of the girl claims most of the children were driven out of town and treated like animals because they never mentally matured. That seems a bit harsh.
Palladin eventually finds the source of the mystery. The fantasy resolution for two grown children is that their respective parents will stay far out of town and keep out all visitors except trusted friends. The story is fantastical in a wonderful way, but unrealistic and likely to create more problems in the future.