THE LITTLE RED SHOES (PART THREE)

William Guiler and five young Irishmen stood on the shore of Nova Scotia. They had escaped from a British man-of-war onto which they had been impressed into service months before. Much to their surprise and chagrin they discovered neither town nor people. The dock at which the ship had taken on supplies was a lone naval supply dock to which goods had to be shipped a long distance. The six men had no idea where they were or which direction they should go. They had to do something! Their clothes were fast freezing solid on their bodies and they were in danger of dying quickly.

The group split up. Four men went in one direction while two went in another. William was one of the two. After walking a long distance they had still found nothing. William’s partner began to weaken. He refused to hurry as they sought shelter. Soon he began to complain of exhaustion and insisted that they lie down to rest for awhile. William urged him to keep moving. He tried to carry his friend but soon realized he was too weak to do so. William rubbed the man’s face and hands trying to keep him from freezing to death. Nothing worked. Finally, the man would go no further. William knew he had to leave him.

He pressed on, looking in every direction and calling out, hoping someone might hear him. His clothes were now rigid on his arms and legs and he was having difficulty moving. Suddenly, he saw a light in the distance. He had heard rumors about Indians and knew they hated white men. He wondered if the light he saw was an Indian campfire. But William was freezing to death and he was convinced the light was his only hope to survive. If he was ever to find his wife and daughter who had sailed to New York many months before, he would have to risk it.

William made his way toward the distant light. He stumbled and fell many times. Over and over he struggled to his feet. He was calling and crawling, trying to reach safety and warmth. He struggled as far as he could and then collapsed and lost consciousness.

The light William had seen came from a cabin window. The family inside the cabin heard a dull thud against their door and went to investigate. When they opened the door they were astonished to find a man, apparently frozen to death, lying on their threshold.