The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-08-24

BILE, for her daughter was her idol, and
the thought OF losing her only child
would bring ON paroxysm after paroxysm
Of grief. During these hysterical at
tacks the viscomte would give the suf-
fering woman . concoction which had
the effect OF quieting the nerves, but
weakened the mind. This arch fend
had discovered in some way q powerful
drug, which, given continuously and
systematically, gradually softened the
brain and destroyed the intellect. The
mysterious seclusion and secrecy with
which the whole thing was managed
and the sudden development os Grenet
as o physician naturally created gossip
about the hotel and In fact throughout
the city. Grenet claimed that Miss
Staunton's accident had resulted i'm q
violent case Of fever.
AT the expiration of six weeks she
was said to be convalescent One marvel.
ously lovely day In late September. as /
was standing upon the upper veranda
of the hotel looking ont over the sea of
mountains which lay before me and
drinking in the beauty of the scene, /
heard o sad and plaintive voice utter
my name. Turning around, I saw be-
fore me Virgie Staunton. Yes, IL was
Virgie, but, oh, how changed Drag
ging her weary limbs along with pain
full effort. she approached me and OK
tended her emaciated hand.
"As / looked into her face she tried
to force . smile, bat the attempt died
away ON her colorless lips. In the once
beautiful eyes there was q dull, ~listless
filter which at times assumed q mani
acal expression. Dropping heavily into
aproffered chair, she essayed to talk, but
her conversation was rambling and dis
jointed. Her mind seemed seriously inn
paired. In q few minutes Mrs. Staunton
appeared. and shortly afterward Gre
net joined as. In his villainous black
eyes / thought there CLEANED q tri-
umphant smile as he dotted his hat and
exclaimed: Bon jour. mesdames ct
messieuri ! hope Eat me leetle patient
ees ware well dis morning.
Mrs. Staunton took this occasion to
inform me that upon her daughters
complete recovery she would become
Viscountess Grenet. Somehow my mind
seemed prepared for the statement, and
/ was not in the least surprised. This
singular man had become completely
dominant over the mind and action of
the mother, and the daughter had
seemingly lost all will of her own. In
q few days Mrs. Staunton left for the
north, her object being TO purchase vir-
ginia's trousseau. IL was well under.
stood that nm international marriage
would take place upon her return. As
soon as she had gone the Frenchman,
possibly fearing some unexpected de-
nouement, urged the performance of O.
hurried ceremony. 70 which the poor
girl, in her enfeebled state Of mind, Of
fered no resistance. and he spirited her
away.
1.-THE marriage was performed in Pc
cret, only a priest and the necessary wit
nesses being present The couple had
been gone SO hours before they were
missed. The vulgar precipitation 81 the
ceremony, it's profound secrecy and the
clandestine departure very naturally
aroused suspicious Of foul play, and
more speculation was INDUCED in by
the guests of the hotel Inquiry was
made, and IL was found that Grenet had
at different times obtained very power
full and mischievous drugs at . certain
pharmacy. These drugs could not pos
sibly have been used for any good pur-
pose I'm Virginia Staunton's case.
1.-THE discovery OF the fact that such
medicines were i'm the Frenchman's pos
session Immediately explained TO me
the cause of Virgie's alteration of mind.
! had been fool enough to think IL due
to the violence of her fall from the run
ming horse and the fever which was
consequent. The scoundrel's scheme
now became quite apparent. Finding IL
impossible to win the girl by fair
means, he had resorted TO foul. Con-
irving to bring about the accident
which stunned her. he imposed upon
the mother the belief that he was q ma
val surgeon and thus secured the oppor-
tunity of administering his poisons.
The whole thing was now clear to me.
Why had / been SO confoundedly stupid
not to see it before?
Immediate wires to Mrs. Staunton
in New York city and Philadelphia
brought no response. Valuable time was
being lost, and Vicomte de Grenet was
meanwhile speeding ON with his help.
less victim to nobody knew where.
Three days after the comte's departure
news came that Mrs. Staunton had been
found dead in her berth between Wash
ington and Philadelphia, cause OF death
supposed to be an overdose of morphine.
The body of the i'll fated woman was
held awaiting directions. The suspicion
OF murder was now added TO that Of
malpractice and abduction, and the case
was Immediately put into the hands Of
the authorities. Knowing the Stauntons
% well as ! did and being aware that
the only relatives of the family were
very distant ones, living somewhere In
the far northwest, / felt il my duty 70
90 north and superintend the funeral
rites Of the dead woman. You may well
suppose that IL was with asad heart and
many self reproaches that ! looked upon