Sax Rohmer

“ This phantom cyclist had become a nightmare to the local police; intruding upon the monotony of their ordinary duty, he had so stimulated zeal that neither Jones nor Tewksbury resented this special duty. Indeed, recognizing that they were hot upon the heels of a mystery which had set fire to the local imagination, they had no regret for the comforts which they were foregoing, but on the contrary fell for the ardor of the chase. They were three very keen men who pursued the phantom cyclist that night, nor lightly to be discounted. ”

“ He looked along the dark and narrow lane, which came out upon the highroad some twenty yards to the westward. For a while he stood there watching, listening. But no sound reached his ears, save the drip, drip, drip of water from the leaves and the increasing rumble of thunder. He turned to the left, walking quickly away from the highroad, and skirting the Abbey grounds. On the right were meadows; and presently, coming to a stile, the man crossed it, turning sharply to the right behind a thick-set hedge and reached a rough shed having a tarred roof and a door fastened with a padlock. ”

“ A dog barked angrily in the distant farm to which the buildings belonged, but the phantom cyclist knew that that he could afford to ignore this disturbance. He dismounted and, evidently familiar with the ground, pushed his bicycle along a narrow path by the side of a barn, reached a weedy wilderness beyond and presently came to a disused cattle shed. There he docked his bicycle and walked back again into the lane, having first extinguished the lamp. ”