It having become evident to me that there was very little hope of Rome ever regaining its former splendor and prosperity, I sent my wife and daughter Arta—­who had been born at Leavenworth in the latter part of December, 1866—­to St. Louis on a visit.  They had been living with me for some little time in the rear part of our “store.”

At this time Mr. Rose and myself had a contract under Schumacher, Miller & Co., constructors of the Kansas Pacific, for grading five miles of track westward from Big Creek, and running through the site of Rome.  Notwithstanding we had been deserted, we had some small hope that they would not be able to get water at the new town, and that the people would all soon move back to Rome, as we really had the best location.  We determined, therefore, to go on with our grading contract, and wait for something better to turn up.  It was indeed hard for us, who had been millionaires, to come down to the level of common railroad contractors—­ but we had to do it, all the same.

We visited the new town of Hays almost daily, to see how it was progressing, and in a short time we became much better acquainted with Dr. Webb, who had reduced us from our late independent to our present dependent position.  We found him a perfect gentleman—­a whole-souled, genial-hearted fellow, whom everybody liked and respected.  Kearly every day, “Doc.” and I would take a ride over the prairie together and hunt buffalo.

On one occasion, having ventured about ten miles from the town, we spied a band of Indians not over two miles distant, who were endeavoring to get between us and the town, and thus cut us off.  I was mounted on my celebrated horse Brigham, the fleetest steed I ever owned.  On several subsequent occasions he saved my life, and he was the horse that I rode when I killed sixty-nine buffaloes in one day.  Dr. Webb was riding a beautiful thoroughbred bay, which he had brought with him from the East.  Having such splendid horses, we laughed at the idea of a band of Indians overtaking us on a square run, no matter how well they might be mounted; but not caring to be cut off by them, we ran our steeds about three miles towards home, thus getting between the braves and the town.  The Indians were then about three-quarters of a mile distant, and we stopped and waved our hats at them, and fired some shots at long range.  There were thirteen in the party, and as they were getting pretty close to us, we struck out for Hays.  They came on in pursuit and sent several scattering shots after us, but we easily left them behind.  They finally turned and rode off towards the Saline River.

The Doctor thought this glorious sport, and wanted to organize a party to go in pursuit of them, but I induced him to give up this idea, although he did so rather reluctantly.  The Doctor soon became quite an expert hunter, and before he had remained on the prairie a year there were but few men in the country who could kill more buffaloes on a hunt than he.