Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), Saturday 18 April 1914, page 4


- LOVE AND FOOTBALL.

'In The Last Stride,' by Arthur Wright; N.S.W. Bookstall Company, Sydney.— The successful lover, a prominent footballer, the reiected one. referee! It

is a. new and piquant situation in fiction, and when Alick is ordered off tbe field, one cannot be surprised. He had deserved it; after all; for, when wilfully and deliberately fouled, he 'lost his head.' Springing up, he sent his fist -with terrific; force into his tormentor's face:' Even in Rugby they will not stand that. Presently the same two men had a chance of settling their difierances in formal style ?with the gloves at the 'Hipprodrome.' If the refereevpallain had not been anxious to get-rich-quick by smnggling opium off incoming ships with his motor launch, things would have been much simpler for the hero, who 6hortly found himself .buspected of burglary, robbery with violence, felonious shooting, and the opium business toov So he made for the Queensland backblocks, Trhere-rof course^ — he found a horse good enough, to win Cups; and -with a new beard as effective disguise, he -was picked to play for the State. One sees him back in Sydney, successfully opposed to the great Messenger (unnecessarily called 'Bearer'). By an allowable use of the Long Arm, the owner of the only horse that could # hold. AJkk's mas the girl of bis own heart; and' one sees them finally, running a dead. heat at Randwick, and agreeing to divide that ' and everything else. Mr. Wright has produced another, rattling yarn. He understands sport, thoroughly. You might doubt it in finding a professional pugilist play' football in the afternoon, with. a big fight booked for the evening; but the author admits that 'it looked an act of pure madness,' and it was necessary for the story. The pictures by Lionel Lindsay are highly characteristic .