Young Folks Magazine, Vol. I, No. 1, March 1902 An Illustrated Monthly Journal for Boys & Girls

Set against the sweltering heat of a late August day in 1777, the tale opens at the Three Oaks Inn, a modest refuge on the battered roads of New Jersey. Inside, landlord Jonas Benson dozes while the world outside buzzes with the uneasy lull between battles of the Revolutionary War. When a solemn carriage bearing a strikingly dressed young woman and a grim, uniform‑less officer slips into the inn, whispers behind a closed door hint at secrets that could endanger everyone within.

The inn’s quiet routine is shattered as the guests’ true purpose unfolds, pulling the patriotic innkeeper into a web of espionage and loyalty. Through vivid descriptions of dust‑laden meadows, sweating cattle, and the oppressive summer air, listeners feel the tension of a nation on the brink. As the first act builds, the story promises a suspenseful clash between personal duty and the larger storm of war.