Sax Rohmer

“ Chapter III THE LOCKED DOOR FOR a while there was silence in the big library. The sound of a lawnmower could now be heard in the garden. Joyce was the first to speak.
“Is what you have told us the reason why the Government has sent Paul Harley down?” she asked.
Van Dean slowly nodded his head.
“Yes. No white man, myself may be excepted, knows so much of this secret danger to us and all other civilized countries as Paul Harley of the British Foreign Office.” ”

“ She ran out. Jim was standing peering awkwardly in the direction of the locked study door when Paul Harley strode briskly across the terrace in the growing dusk, and into the library. Jim turned with a start.
“Hello, Harley!” he cried. “Anything wrong?”
One quick glance Harley gave him.
“Yes!” he snapped, and ran up the stairs to the study door.
He tried the door and snapped his fingers irritably when he found it to be locked.
“Westbury!” he ordered. “Run 'round the garden to the study window. Quick, man!” ”

“ No one noticed that the sound of the lawnmower had ceased, and no one observed the approach of a bearded, surly looking man wearing a battered straw hat, who slowly crossed the terrace and stood looking into the room. ”