Cullum (1867-1943) was a British writer who published a large number of adventure novels over a period of more than 30 years, usually set in sparsely populated regions of the USA or Canada. He left home at 17 to join the gold rush in South Africa's Transvaal where he became involved in the conflict between British and Boer settlers, later travelling to the scene of another gold rush in Yukon, north-west Canada. He also spent a few years cattle ranching in Montana, USA. His first novel The Devil's Keg, set in Alberta, Canada, was published in 1903 and following its success he settled in Britain and became a full-time writer. Several of his novels were made into films. This novel was first published in 1923.