A keen quick report and a puff of white smoke,--a close smell of powder
and the rush of a dark, imperfectly outlined figure,--and the
President's head dropped upon his shoulders: the ball was in his brain.

[Illustration: Map. The Theatre and its Surroundings.

_A_ Public School. _B_ Herndon House. _C_ Only vacant lot communicating
with the Alley. _D_ Only alley outlet to F street. _E_ Bank. _X_
Restaurant. _G_ Newspaper Office. _H_ Model House. _I_ House to which
the President was taken. _K_ Alley through which the Murderer escaped.]

The movements of the assassin were from henceforth quick as the
lightning, he dropped his pistol on the floor, and drawing a
bowie-knife, struck Major Rathbone, who opposed him, ripping through his
coat from the shoulder down, and inflicting a severe flesh wound in his
arm. He leaped then upon the velvet covered balustrade at the front of
the box, between Mrs. Lincoln and Miss Harris, and, parting with both
hands the flags that drooped on either side, dropped to the stage
beneath. Arising and turning full upon the audience, with the knife
lifted in his right hand above his head, he shouted "_Sic, semper
tyrannis_--Virginia is avenged!" Another instant he had fled across the
stage and behind the scenes. Colonel J. B. Stewart, the only person in
the audience who seemed to comprehend the deed he had committed, climbed
from his seat near the orchestra to the stage, and followed close
behind. The assassin was too fleet and too desperate, that fury
incarnate, meeting Mr. Withers, the leader of the orchestra, just behind
the scenes, had stricken him aside with a blow that fortunately was not
a wound; overturning Miss Jenny Gourlay, an actress, who came next in
his path, he gained, without further hindrance, the back door previously
left open at the rear of the theater; rushed through it; leaped upon the