In the Land of the Long White Cloud

about your breakout, Mr. McKenzie, and have sent people to seize you at once. My God, couldn’t you have waited a few more weeks? In the middle of sheep shearing, no one would have come after you, but right now there are plenty of workers who haven’t had anything to do for months. They’re eager for an adventure, but you know that already. And you, Gwyn, ride back home as fast as you can, so that your family doesn’t become suspicious. This isn’t a game, Mr. McKenzie. The men who were here have orders to shoot you!”
    Gwyneira shook with fear when she kissed James good-bye. She would have to fear for him once more—and now, when they had finally found each other.
    Naturally, Helen too advised him to return to Lyttelton, but James waved the suggestion away. He wanted to go to Otago. First to get Friday—“The height of foolishness!” Helen commented—and then to the goldfields.
    “Will you at least give him some food to take along?” Gwyneira asked pitifully as Helen accompanied her out. “And thank you so much, Helen. I know what a risk you took.”
    Helen waved it away. “If everything went according to plan for the children, he’s Ruben’s father-in-law now…or do you still want to deny that Fleurette is his?”
    Gwyneira smiled. “You’ve known all along, Helen. You sent me to Matahorua yourself and heard her advice. Didn’t I pick a good man?”

    James McKenzie was caught that night, though his bad luck had a silver lining. He ran right into the arms of a search party from Kiward Station, led by his old friends Andy McAran and Poker Livingston. If the two of them had been alone, they would no doubt have let him go, but they were out with two new workers and didnot want to take the risk. They made no move to shoot at James, but levelheaded Andy was of the same opinion as Helen and Gwyneira. “If someone from Beasley or Barrington Station finds you, they’ll put you down like a dog. Not to mention what Sideblossom would do! Warden—between you and me—is a scoundrel himself. He still has something like sympathy for you. But Barrington is deeply disappointed in you. After all, you gave him your word of honor that you wouldn’t flee.”
    “But only on the way to Lyttelton,” James said, defending his honor. “That didn’t go for the five years in prison.”
    Andy shrugged. “Regardless, he’s not happy. And Beasley is nervous he’s going to lose more sheep. The two breeding stallions he ordered from England cost a fortune. The farm is up to its neck in debt. You’ll receive no pardon from him. It’d be best for you to serve your sentence.”
    The police officer was not upset when James returned.
    “It was my fault,” he grumbled. “Next time I’ll lock you in, McKenzie. Then it’ll be your fault!”

    James dutifully stayed in prison three more weeks, but when he broke out this time, certain circumstances led the officer to Gwyneira’s door at Kiward Station.
    Gwyneira was examining a group of ewes and their lambs one last time before they would be herded into the highlands when she saw Laurence Hanson, the chief of law enforcement in Canterbury County, riding up to the house. Laurence Hanson was approaching slowly because he was leading something small and black on a leash. The dog offered stiff resistance; it only took a few steps when it was in danger of being strangled. Then it planted all four of its feet on the ground.
    Gwyneira frowned. Had one of her farm dogs run away? That never happened. And even if that were the case, surely the police chief himself was not responsible for bringing it back. She quicklyexcused herself from the two Maori shepherds and sent them off to the highlands with the sheep.
    “I’ll see you in the fall!” she said to the pair, who would be spending the summer with the animals in a hut in the pastures. “Just be careful my son doesn’t see you here before fall.” It was delusional to think that the Maori would spend the entire summer in the pastures without occasionally visiting their wives. But then again, perhaps their wives would move up there with them. It was difficult to say since the tribes were mobile. Gwyneira only knew that Paul would frown upon either solution.
    Gwyneira went to the house to greet the sweating police officer, who was already headed her way. He knew where the stables were and obviously wanted to stable his horse. So he did not seem to be in a hurry. Gwyneira sighed. She had better things to do than spend the