Big Ledge

The Triumphs and Tribulations of Robert E. Sproule

In the summer of 1882, long-suffering American prospector Robert Sproule, rows his way up Kootenay Lake to a promontory known as Big Ledge. Almost at once, he finds himself encamped on an extremely rich lode of high-grade lead, likely laced with silver. At last, Sproule's fortunes seem ready to change. Riches seem just around the corner. But another adventurer is on Kootenay Lake at the same time: the Englishman, Baillie-Grohman. His plans are even more grandiose than Sproule's. And down in Oakland, California, businessman John C. Ainsworth is making plans to buy up the very property on which Sproule sits. The fledgling Canadian government scrambles to protect its interests as well. Conflict seems inevitable, and murder, not past reason.

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