Dr Nikola Return — Guy Boothby

When the last horse had landed imagining the sport to be over for the day I was in the act of moving away when there was a shout to stand clear and wheeling round again I was just in time to see a last horseman come dashing at the fence Though he rode with considerable determination and was evidently bent on putting a good finish to his days amusement it was plain that his horse was not of the same way of thinking for when he was distant about half a dozen yards from the fence he broke his stride stuck his feet into the mud and endeavoured to come to a standstill The result was not at all what he expected he slid towards the fence received his riders quirt viciously administered round his flank made up his mind to jump too late hit the top rail with his forehead turned a complete somersault and landed with a crash at my feet His rider fell into the arms of the ditch out of which I presently dragged him When I got him on the bank he did not look a pretty sight but on the other hand that did not prevent him from recognizing me