Henry Kitchell Webster (1875-1932) was an American novelist and short story writer. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Webster graduated from Hamilton College in 1897 before taking a job as a teacher at Union College in Schenectady, New York. Alongside coauthor Samuel Merwin, Webster found early success with such novels as The Short Line War (1899) and Calumet "K" (1901), the latter a favorite of Ayn Rand's. Webster's stories, often set in Chicago, were frequently released as serials before appearing as bestselling novels, a formula perfected by the author throughout his hugely successful career. By the end of his life, Webster was known across the United States as a leading writer of mystery, science fiction, and realist novels and stories.

Nearing the end of their contract to construct the largest grain elevator in the country, MacBride & Company's owner calls in Charlie Bannon. Effective and cool under pressure, Bannon comes to Calumet in order to achieve the impossible: in a few short months, he must finish the towering project. Calumet "K" is a novel by Henry Kitchell Webster and Samuel Merwin.