'The Bronze Bell' is a novel written by Louis Joseph Vance, an author best remembered today for creating the popular character Michael Lanyard, a criminal-turned-detective known as The Lone Wolf. In this novel, we are introduced to the protagonist, Mr. David Amber, as he is waiting in a parlor car on a train when he suddenly hears the sound of another locomotive. He looks out the window to see a small town in the distance and consults his watch, remarking that the railroad is consistently late. He notes that the town is surrounded by fields and woods, and soon the train arrives at the town's station.