The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-02-13
CHAPTER XVII.
DRIVING A BARGAIN,

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~ am heartily glad to see you, Count de
Listel" she said.
Within an hour from the time when
olympia maven ana the CounJ de L1sle
should have been made man and wife
all the detective skill available in New
York was engaged in searching for the
bride. Not only that, but men were
stationed at every possible point of exit
from the city; kilograms were sent to
every village, town and city within q
thousand miles; every steamer, vessel
and vehicle leaving or about to leave
Now York was searched. In the course
of a day or two thousands of photo
graphs of the missing girl were distrib-
uted in all directions over the country,
and were posted up at every street cor
ner, in every church, in every place of
amusement in the city. Accompanying
them was an offer of reward that has
probably never been paralleled in the
history of the world: One million dollars
cash for information that would lead to
the recovery of Olympia Raven, or of
her body if she were dead, and ten mill
ion dollars to any one who would bring
her to her friends uninjured in health
and limb. Meanwhile the papers de-
voted columns to the discussion of the
matter; it was talked of in every house
hold in the United States; long cable
grams on the subject were sent to
Europe, and it is not too much to say
that by the end of a week nearly every
inhabitant of the civilized world had
heard the name of Olympia Raven and
knew something of her history.
It seemed impossible that all this
should fail to bring some news of her;
and quite as much if she were dead as if
she were alive. How could a person
and girl of striking beauty at that
vanish so utterly and suddenly that no
one of the millions of her fellow Great
ures, their senses sharpened and their
cupidity aroused by the promise of
wealth to fabulous amount, should be
able to give single scrap of information
concerning her? Had no one seen her
pass2 Had no one received her where
she was gone? If no longer in this life,
did earth and water SO effectually con-
ceal her remains that no eye could be
drawn to the spot? If she had been foully
dealt with, was there no accomplice
whose greed would tempt him to open
his lips? Be that as it might, no syllable
of news was received. If Olympia had
gone out of existence like the fame of
candle, she could not have left less trace
behind her. The whole world had been
asked where she was, and, cudgel its
brains as it would, it had been able to
frame no reply.
Early in the proceedings Tom Ban
nick had followed up his notion as to
Garcia, and hisinvestigations had ended
in discovering the man in Philadelphia.
When found he was in drunken stu
por, and the proprietor of the hotel at
which he was STAYING said that he had
been there since the night of April 30
twelve hours before Olympia disap-
peared. On coming to his proper senses
Garcia had little to say for himself. He
intimated that drink had been his demon
from the beginning, and that an occa-
sional spree he must have. When ques-
toned as to Olympia he merely shook
his head and remarked that he was sorry
for the count. ssTell him." he added,
"that he will never see me again. Ihave
lived a decent life longer than ever did
before, and am tired of it. shall re-
lapse into the tramp I was when he
found me. followed him up to the al
tar; now shall follow my own nose to
the devil, and that will be my address!"
Saying which this enigmatical person
age turned over in his bed and went to
sleep.
Meanwhile it had not escaped the
count that if Sallie Matchin had wished
to avenge herself upon him in the most
effective manner conceivable, she could
not have hit upon method SO effective
as this. No doubt she would willingly
have spirited Olympia away had she
been able to do so, but it was impossible
to imagine how she could find the means.
Investigation showed that no person had
been admitted to the house during the
period between ten and eleven o'clock on
the first of May. Olympia must there
fore have gone forth of her own voli-
tion. Nor was it creditable that suppos-
ing her to have intended going to the
church, she could have. been waylaid
upon the way thither? The distance was
but quarter of mile, the sun was
shining, the avenue was full of people.
No, the idea was not to be entertained,
and yet it was just as difficult to sup
pose that the girl had hidden herself
away. Only downright insanity could
fo,. 1,av 1<ir
even assuming that she had done it,
some one must be aware of the fact, and
the reward that had been offered would
long since have led to her bringing back
He was obliged, consequently, to &C.
quit Sallie of having had any hand in
the disappearance, and where else to
look he knew not. But on Saturday, the
ninth day after the calamity, he received
letter from Sallie herself, which he
read with a mixture of hope and fear