Sir Bartemus Bothamley

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 202, 23 May 1936, Page 25

Sir Bartemus Bothamley

(Continued from last week.) "It's like this," he said slowly. "Ngene is an Urukehu, and she is greatly honoured and valued by her tribe. She is like a talisman to them, something which they treasure as a token of good luck. Al. one time there were lots of that kind of Maori in her tribe, but gradually they died or disappeared, and Ngene is the only one left. Those men were her father and the old tohunga’s son, ami they are taking her back to the hills where tlie tribe is living now.” “But how ever did she got away from them and find her way into my garden?" asked Sir Bartemus. Tamati shuffled guiltily. "Well.” lie .-aid. "Ngene is my sister, too, and I helped her to escape, for she is almost like n prisoner, the tribesmen watch her so closely. There was no place where she could hide, so I put her in the loft in the stable. We made it quite cosy.” he smiled, “and Ngene is very light mid (illicit on her feel, so that whenever Bates was about she disappeared as quick ns a sunbeam.” Sir Bnrt.cmtis nodded. Only too well did ho know of her sudden disappearances, so that he bad at one lit: thought her a piece of sunlight or a fairy, himself. “And,” Tamati, continued. "Mrs. O'Flnnnagan was always so generous with my meals that there was enough for two of ns. But Ngene always did like excitement, and. of course, when she went to the races all the Maori people knew at once that she - -as an Urukehu and that it could only be Ngene. The news must have spread quickly, or else they knew she was missing, and that is why she was captured.’' (To be continued.'! 40» 0 «M»0 t) D «■»(>«■» 0 O(l> <> (1< 1 «■» O O <wa»