Set during the American Revolutionary War in colonial New Hampshire the story follows Richard Dudgeon an outcast who calls himself the “devil’s disciple” and displays a cynical and rebellious attitude yet when British soldiers attempt to arrest the local minister he unexpectedly sacrifices himself by taking the minister’s place which transforms the situation and exposes the hypocrisy and beliefs of those around him as the crisis reveals the true nature of each character ultimately presenting a paradoxical message that true heroism lies not in outward reputation but in hidden courage and selfless action.
