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　extremity；　such　a　mighty　wave　of　anger　swept　the
  Cardinal　that　he　appeared　twice　his　real　size。　　Like　a　flaming
  brand　of　vengeance　he　struck　that　Limberlost　upstart；　and　sent
  him　rolling　to　earth；　a　mass　of　battered　feathers。　　With　beak　and
  claw　he　made　his　attack；　and　when　he　so　utterly　demolished　his
  rival　that　he　hopped　away　trembling；　with　dishevelled　plumage
  stained　with　his　own　blood；　the　Cardinal　remembered　his　little
  love　and　hastened　back；　confidently　hoping　for　his　reward。
  She　was　so　securely　hidden；　that　although　he　went　searching；
  calling；　pleading；　he　found　no　trace　of　her　the　remainder　of　that
  day。　　The　Cardinal　almost　went　distracted；　and　his　tender
  imploring　cries　would　have　moved　any　except　a　panic…stricken
  bird。　　He　did　not　even　know　in　what　direction　to　pursue　her。
  Night　closed　down；　and　found　him　in　a　fever　of　love…sick　fear；
  but　it　brought　rest　and　wisdom。　　She　could　not　have　gone　very
  far。　　She　was　too　worn。　　He　would　not　proclaim　his　presence。
  Soon　she　would　suffer　past　enduring　for　food　and　water。
  He　hid　in　the　willows　close　where　he　had　lost　her；　and　waited
  with　what　patience　he　could；　and　it　was　a　wise　plan。　　Shortly
  after　dawn；　moving　stilly　as　the　break　of　day；　trembling　with
  fear；　she　came　slipping　to　the　river　for　a　drink。　　It　was　almost
  brutal　cruelty；　but　her　fear　must　be　overcome　someway；　and　with　a
  cry　of　triumph　the　Cardinal；　in　a　plunge　of　flight；　was　beside
  her。　　She　gave　him　one　stricken　look；　and　dashed　away。　　The　chase
  began　once　more　and　continued　until　she　was　visibly　breaking。
  There　was　no　room　for　a　rival　that　morning。　　The　Cardinal　flew
  abreast　of　her　and　gave　her　a　caress　or　attempted　a　kiss　whenever
  he　found　the　slightest　chance。　　She　was　almost　worn　out；　her
  flights　were　wavering　and　growing　shorter。　　The　Cardinal　did　his
  utmost。　　If　she　paused　to　rest；　he　crept　close　as　he　dared；　and
  piteously　begged：　〃Come　here！　Come　here！〃
  When　she　took　wing；　he　so　dexterously　intercepted　her　course　that
  several　time　she　found　refuge　in　his　sumac　without　realizing
  where　she　was。　　When　she　did　that；　he　perched　just　as　closely　as
  he　dared；　and　while　they　both　rested；　he　sang　to　her　a　soft
  little　whispered　love　song；　deep　in　his　throat；　and　with　every
  note　he　gently　edged　nearer。　　She　turned　her　head　from　him；　and
  although　she　was　panting　for　breath　and　palpitant　with　fear；　the
  Cardinal　knew　that　he　dared　not　go　closer；　or　she　would　dash　away
  like　the　wild　thing　she　was。　　The　next　time　she　took　wing；　she
  found　him　so　persistently　in　her　course　that　she　turned　sharply
  and　fled　panting　to　the　sumac。　　When　this　had　happened　so　often
  that　she　seemed　to　recognize　the　sumac　as　a　place　of　refuge；　the
  Cardinal　slipped　aside　and　spent　all　his　remaining　breath　in　an
  exultant　whistle　of　triumph；　for　now　he　was　beginning　to　see　his
  way。　　He　dashed　into　mid…air；　and　with　a　gyration　that　would　have
  done　credit　to　a　flycatcher；　he　snapped　up　a　gadfly　that　should
  have　been　more　alert。
  With　a　tender　〃Chip！〃　from　branch　to　branch；　slowly；　cautiously；
  he　came　with　it。　　Because　he　was　half　starved　himself；　he　knew
  that　she　must　be　almost　famished。　　Holding　it　where　she　could
  see；　he　hopped　toward　her；　eagerly；　carefully；　the　gadfly　in　his
  beak；　his　heart　in　his　mouth。　　He　stretched　his　neck　and　legs　to
  the　limit　as　he　reached　the　fly　toward　her。　　What　matter　that　she
  took　it　with　a　snap；　and　plunged　a　quarter　of　a　mile　before
  eating　it？　　She　had　taken　food　from　him！　　That　was　the　beginning。
  Cautiously　he　impelled　her　toward　the　sumac；　and　with　untiring
  patience　kept　her　there　the　remainder　of　the　day。　　He　carried　her
  every　choice　morsel　he　could　find　in　the　immediate　vicinity　of
  the　sumac；　and　occasionally　she　took　a　bit　from　his　beak；　though
  oftenest　he　was　compelled　to　lay　it　on　a　limb　beside　her。　　At
  dusk　she　repeatedly　dashed　toward　the　underbrush；　but　the
  Cardinal；　with　endl