The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-07-19
MIR. arlington S
Secret
By ESTHER VANDERVEER

power that had long stood idle. He
was melancholy looking man. never
smihng, never chatting Familiarity with
tnose with whom he came in contact
and, above all, uncommunicatiye about
himself.
AT nrst his reticence was not no
uced' and no one cared who he was
Ut wnere he came from, but as soon
as 1t was observed that these facts
were not Forthcoming every one be-
came curious about him. Many a
covert move was made to draw from
MN some information about himself,
out he parried them all so adroitly as
not TO give offense and so skillfully as
not TO tell anything. The only thing
known about him was his name, AL.
pert harrington, and when it became
known that he was holding back in.
formation about himself 1t was believ-
ca That even that was assumed.
II Is human trait when people are
ueh1ed knowledge about other per
sons affairs to supply that knowledge
py inference. Each person in Penton-
vile who assumed reasons for Mr..
Partington's antecedents did so on his
or her account. The women account.
ca Tor his mysterious appearance
among them on the ground of love
anair. Some of them believed that he
had been crossed In love. some that he
mad wronged some woman and was
hiding from the vengeance due him.
The men favored a theory that he had
married vixen and was hiding from
her or that he had interfered with
some mans domestic affairs and was
Keeping out of the way of the injured
husband.
The fitting up Of the mill and the
business matters connected with 1t
were also kept In the dark
All of sudden Darlington disappear.
ed from Pentonville. and It was no
ticed that from the day Of his depar-
ture all work on his plant stopped.
The property was left in charge of
one Daggett. Mr. Partington's right
hand man, who discharged every work
man, and solemn stiffness settled
down on what before was busy as a
beehive. He resisted all efforts on the
part of inquirers for an explanation.
A few days after Partington's depar.
ture handsomely dressed woman ap-
peared In Pentonville and was driven
at once to the plant. There was blood ]
in her eye, but her lips were drawn
tightly together as II she feared that
her ire might lead her to say something
it would not be well to reveal. After
9 long conference with Daggett she
was driven away, no one knew where, |
and the theories OF those who had |
claimed that Partington's reticence was
occasioned by complications with a
woman seemed to have been confirmed
That was the last live episode in the
Darlington affair. Daggett remained |
awhile longer; then, turning the prop |
erty over to Waterman, he too de |
parted.
One day the world was shocked by |
the announcement that Austria had de-
clared war against Servia, and within
a short period there were more such
declarations. A week after the first
Mr.. Darlington suddenly appeared In
Pentonville, the work OF preparation
was recommended, and there was far
more clatter than there had been be-
fore. There was now no secrecy with |
regard TO the plant, but every one con
nj no
had no time to answer questions. In
deed, since II appeared that the prop |
erty was to be used for some kind Of
manufacture connected with the war
In Europe curiosity was allayed
There were those who remembered |
the woman who had come to Penton- |
vile Immediately after Partington's de-
parture and who claimed that. wheth !
er or not he had come to the place pri- |
marily on business, he had certainly |
been anxious TO escape an angry wom-
an. These persons received confirma
ton OF their theory on the reappear-
ance of the woman who had been /
there before. especially since she ar
rived at p. m and Darlington left
at 50. thus escaping her by only five
minutes
Meanwhile men were working night
and day getting the plant ready for
production. Then one day commit
tee OF citizens appeared at Mr.. Parting
toms Office and told him that 1t was
being rumored that he was going to
manufacture goods that would endan-
ger the lives of the people and prop
erty OF the town. II so they desired
10 enter a protest. wherefore Mr..
Partington announced to them that
the plant was 10 be a powder mill
The main part of the secret was out,
Mr.. Darlington having desired to man
nfacture an explosive in close proxim-
inv TO the Pentonvillians and, fearing
that II they knew what he was about
N do they would endeavor to stop him
nv process of law, had kept his inten-
tion secret. Considerable capital had
been subscribed by a rich widow.
partington was disappointed In not
getting all the money he required TO
atari his works and was compelled TO