ok up
and down the road.

* * * * *

Elizabeth Eliza, meanwhile, had sat upon her trunk as it seemed, for
ages. She recalled all the terrible stories of prisoners,--how they
had watched the growth of flowers through cracks in the pavement. She
wondered how long she could live without eating. How thankful she was
for her abundant breakfast!

At length she heard the door-bell. But who could go to the door to
answer it? In vain did she make another effort to escape; it was
impossible!

How singular!--there were footsteps. Some one was going to the door;
some one had opened it. "They must be burglars." Well, perhaps that
was a better fate--to be gagged by burglars, and the neighbors
informed--than to be forever locked on her trunk. The steps approached
the door. It opened, and Amanda ushered in the expressman.

Amanda had not gone. She had gathered, while waiting at the
breakfast-table, that there was to be an expressman whom she must
receive.

Elizabeth Eliza explained the situation. The expressman turned the key
of her trunk, and she was released!

What should she do next? So long a time had elapsed she had given up
all hope of her family returning for her. But how could she reach
them?

She hastily prevailed upon the expressman to take her along until she
should come up with some of the family. At least she would fall in
with either the walking party or the carryall, or she would meet them
if they were on their return.

She mounted the seat with the expressman, and slowly they took their
way, stopping for occasional parcels as they left the village.

But, much to Elizabeth Eliza's dismay, they turned off from the main
road on leaving the village. She remonstrated, but the driver insisted
he must go round by Millikin's to leave a bedstead. They went round by
Millikin's, and then had further turns to make. Elizabeth Eliza
explained that in this way it would be impossible for her to find her
parents and family, and at last he proposed to take her all the way
with her trunk. She remembered with a shudder that when she had first
asked about her trunk he had promised it should certainly be delivered
the next morning. Suppose they should have to be out all night? Where
did express-carts spend the night? She thought of herself in a lone
wood, in an express-wagon! She could scarcely bring herself to ask,
before assenting, when he should arrive.

"He guessed he could bring up before n