The Mystery of the Masked Rider by Carolyn Keene

Nightingale, sensing something was wrong, slid to an abrupt stop.
    Like a launched missile, Colleen flew headfirst over Nightingale’s head and crashed into the jump, scattering the heavy poles as if they were twigs.

12
A Sudden Realization
    â€œColleen’s hurt!” Bess cried.
    Without a second’s hesitation Nancy rushed down the steps, vaulted the arena wall, and ran through the tanbark to where Colleen was lying. Her friend’s eyes were shut and her body was very still. Nancy moved a pole that had fallen on Colleen’s leg, then took her friend’s wrist in her hand. Colleen’s pulse was normal.
    â€œColleen!” Phil knelt next to Nancy. “Is she alive?” he asked in a voice choking with pain.
    Nancy nodded. An official ran over just as the rescue vehicle roared through the gate. “Don’t move her,” the official said in a tense voice.
    Looking up briefly, Nancy scanned the arena for Nightingale. The mare had jogged to the other end of the ring, reins dragging in the tanbark. The saddle had slipped halfway downher side. Nancy could see Gloria Donner, lead line in hand, approaching the frightened horse. The spectators were all standing to get a better look and murmuring among themselves.
    Two medics pushed past Phil and stopped on either side of Colleen. Nancy stood up and stepped back. Phil stayed by Colleen’s head, his hand gripping hers.
    â€œIt’s good she was wearing a hard hat,” one of the medics muttered. “Blood pressure’s low. Nothing seems to be broken, but you never know.”
    Carefully they unsnapped Colleen’s hunt cap and pulled it off her head. “No visible contusions or cuts,” the other medic said. “Let’s strap her on the stretcher and take her to the hospital.”
    â€œI’m going with her,” Phil said in a firm voice.
    Nancy nodded. “We’ll take care of Nightingale. I’ll call as soon as I can.”
    Bess came up as the medics slid Colleen into the back of the rescue vehicle. Phil climbed in after her. Sitting down, he took Colleen’s hand and pressed it to his lips. There were tears in his eyes.
    The medics closed the double doors, and Nancy and Bess silently watched the rescue vehicle leave. Then Nancy turned toward Gloria Donner, who was leading Nightingale toward them. She’d taken the saddle off so it wasn’t hanging under the still-nervous mare.
    â€œI’m really sorry,” Gloria said in a hushedvoice. Her face was pale and her mouth drawn. “Do they think Colleen will be okay?”
    Nancy took Nightingale’s reins and slowly started to lead the mare to the gate. “There don’t seem to be any broken bones, but it’s hard to tell at this point.”
    Gloria shook her head as she walked along beside them. “This brings back bad memories. At least Nightingale’s okay. And she had sense enough to stop before the jump. Otherwise, it could have been a real mess.”
    A real mess is right, Nancy thought. I should have known something like this was going to happen. And I should have been able to prevent it somehow. Nancy sighed in frustration.
    â€œSo what do you think happened?” Bess asked.
    â€œI’d say that, in all the confusion before the jump-off, Colleen forgot to check her girth,” Gloria answered. “As a horse exercises, you usually need to raise the strap a notch. A simple fact, but if you don’t, the saddle could easily slip, and . . .” Her voice trailed off as they went through the gate.
    â€œIs Colleen all right?” Scott jogged up on Wintergreen, his eyes wide with concern.
    â€œWe don’t know,” Bess said solemnly.
    The loudspeaker blasted something about Colleen, then Scott’s name. He flushed. “What a way to win the class,” he muttered. With an apologetic smile he trotted Wintergreen into the ring to receive his trophy.
    â€œHey, you guys.”