ey were creatures of habitual repression, and the inner glimpses they
had taken of each other that day were surprises they scarcely knew how
to meet. Abram said nothing, because he could not. He slowly shook
his head, and turned to the plow, his eyes misty. Maria started toward
the line fence, but she paused repeatedly to listen; and it was no
wonder, for all the redbirds from miles down the river had gathered
around the sumac to see if there were a battle in birdland; but it was
only the Cardinal, turning somersaults in the air, and screaming with
bursting exuberance: "Come here! Come here!"

Chapter 4

"So dear! So dear!" crooned the Cardinal

She had taken possession of the sumac. The location was her selection
and he loudly applauded her choice. She placed the first twig, and
after examining it carefully, he spent the day carrying her others just
as much alike as possible. If she used a dried grass blade, he carried
grass blades until she began dropping them on the ground. If she
worked in a bit of wild grape-vine bark, he peeled grape-vines until
she would have no more. It never occurred to him that he was the
largest cardinal in the woods, in those days, and he had forgotten that
he wore a red coat. She was not a skilled architect. Her nest
certainly was a loose ramshackle affair; but she had built it, and had
allowed him to help her. It was hers; and he improvised a paean in its
praise. Every morning he perched on the edge of the nest and gazed in
songless wonder at each beautiful new egg; and whenever she came to
brood she sat as if entranced, eyeing her treasures in an ecstasy of
proud possession.

Then she nestled them against her warm breast, and turned adoring eyes
toward the Cardinal. If he sang from the dogwood, she faced that way.
If he rocked on the wild grape-vine, she turned in her nest. If he
went to the corn field for grubs, she stood astride her eggs and peered
down, watching his every movement with unconcealed anxiety. The
Cardinal forgot to be vain of his beauty; she delighted in it every
hour of the day. Shy and timid beyond belief she had been during her
courtship; but she made reparation by being an incomparably generous
and devoted mate.

And the Cardinal! He was astonished to find himself capable of so much
and such varied feeling. It was not enough that he brooded while she
went to bathe and exercise. The daintiest of every morsel he found was
carried to her. W