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alive。 Her bright eyes were popping with fear； and down there
among the ferns； anemones and last year's dried leaves； she
tilted her sleek crested head and peered at him with frightened
wonder and silent helplessness。
It was for this the Cardinal had waited； hoped； and planned for
many days。 He had rehearsed what he conceived to be every point
of the situation； and yet he was not prepared for the thing that
suddenly happened to him。 He had expected to reject many
applicants before he selected one to match his charms； but
instantly this shy little creature； slipping along near earth；
taking a surreptitious peep at him； made him feel a very small
bird； and he certainly never before had felt small。 The crushing
possibility that somewhere there might be a cardinal that was
larger； brighter； and a finer musician than he； staggered him；
and worst of all； his voice broke suddenly to his complete
embarrassment。
Half screened by the flowers； she seemed so little； so shy； so
delightfully sweet。 He 〃chipped〃 carefully once or twice to
steady himself and clear his throat； for unaccountably it had
grown dry and husky； and then he tenderly tried again。 〃Come
here！ Come here！〃 implored the Cardinal。 He forgot all about his
dignity。 He knew that his voice was trembling with eagerness and
hoarse with fear。 He was afraid to attempt approaching her； but
he leaned toward her； begging and pleading。 He teased and
insisted； and he did not care a particle if he did。 It suddenly
seemed an honour to coax her。 He rocked on the limb。 He
side…stepped and hopped and gyrated gracefully。 He fluffed and
flirted and showed himself to every advantage。 It never occurred
to him that the dove and the woodpecker might be watching； though
he would not have cared in the least if they had been； and as for
any other cardinal； he would have attacked the combined forces of
the Limberlost and Rainbow Bottom。
He sang and sang。 Every impulse of passion in his big； crimson；
palpitating body was thrown into those notes； but she only turned
her head from side to side； peering at him； seeming sufficiently
frightened to flee at a breath； and answered not even the
faintest little 〃Chook！〃 of encouragement。
The Cardinal rested a second before he tried again。 That
steadied him and gave him better command of himself。 He could
tell that his notes were clearing and growing sweeter。 He was
improving。 Perhaps she was interested。 There was some
encouragement in the fact that she was still there。 The Cardinal
felt that his time had come。
〃Come here！ Come here！〃 He was on his mettle now。 Surely no
cardinal could sing fuller； clearer； sweeter notes！ He began at
the very first； and rollicked through a story of adventure；
colouring it with every wild； dashing； catchy note he could
improvise。 He followed that with a rippling song of the joy and
fulness of spring； in notes as light and airy as the wind…blown
soul of melody； and with swaying body kept time to his rhythmic
measures。 Then he glided into a song of love； and tenderly；
pleadingly； passionately； told the story as only a courting bird
can tell it。 Then he sang a song of ravishment； a song quavering
with fear and the pain tugging at his heart。 He almost had run
the gamut； and she really appeared as if she intended to flee
rather than to come to him。 He was afraid to take even one timid
little hop toward her。
In a fit of desperation the Cardinal burst into the passion song。
He arose to his full height； leaned toward her with outspread
quivering wings； and crest flared to the utmost； and rocking from
side to side in the intensity of his fervour； he poured out a
perfect torrent of palpitant song。 His cardinal body swayed to
the rolling flood of his ecstatic tones； until he appeared like a
flaming pulsing note of materialized music； as he entreated；
coaxed； commanded； and pled。 From sheer exhaustion； he threw up
his head to round off the last note he could utter； and
breathlessly glancing down to see if she were coming； caught
sight of a faint streak of gray in the distance。 He had planned
so to subdue the little female he courted that she would come to
him； he was in hot pursuit a half day's journey away before he
remembered it。
No other cardinal ever endured such a chase as she led him in the
following days。 Through fear and timidity she had kept most of
her life in the underbrush。 The Cardinal was a bird of the open
fields and tree…tops。 He loved to rock with the wind； and speed
arrow…like in great plunges of flight。 This darting and twisting
over logs； among leaves； and through tangled thickets； tired；
tried； and exasperated him more than hundreds of miles of open
flight。 Sometimes he drove her from cover； and then she wildly
dashed up…hill and down…dale； seeking another thicket； but
wherever she went； the Cardinal was only a breath behind her； and
with every passing mile his passion for her grew。
There was no time to eat； bathe； or sing； only mile after mile of
unceasing pursuit。 It seemed that the little creature could not
stop if she would； and as for the Cardinal； he was in that chase
to remain until his last heart…beat。 It was a question how the
frightened bird kept in advance。 She was visibly the worse for
this ardent courtship。 Two tail feathers were gone； and there
was a broken one beating from her wing。 Once she had flown too
low； striking her head against a rail until a drop of blood came；
and she cried pitifully。 Several times the Cardinal had cornered
her； and tried to hold her by a bunch of feathers； and compel her
by force to listen to reason； but she only broke from his hold
and dashed away a stricken thing； leaving him half dead with
longing and remorse。
But no matter how baffled she grew； or where she fled in her
headlong flight； the one thing she always remembered； was not to
lead the Cardinal into the punishment that awaited him in Rainbow
Bottom。 Panting for breath； quivering with fear； longing for
well…concealed retreats； worn and half blinded by the disasters
of flight through strange country； the tired bird beat her
aimless way； but she would have been torn to pieces before she
would have led her magnificent pursuer into the wrath of his
enemies。
Poor little feathered creature！ She had been fleeing some kind
of danger all her life。 She could not realize that love and
protection had come in this splendid guise； and she fled on and
on。
Once the Cardinal； aching with passion and love； fell behind that
she might rest； and before he realized that another bird was
close； an impudent big relative of his； straying from the
Limberlost； entered the race and pursued her so hotly that with a
note of utter panic she wheeled and darted back to the Cardinal
for protection。 When to the rush of rage that possessed him at
the sight of a rival was added the knowledge that she was seeking
him in her extrem