Lincoln, the unknown

208 •LINCOLN THE UNKNOWNhandcuffs, arranged for relays of fast horses at the proper places,bought three boats, and had them waiting in Port TobaccoCreek, equipped with oars and rowers ready to man them at amoment's notice.Finally, in January, 1865, he believed that the great momenthad come. Lincoln was to attend Ford's Theater on the eighteenthof that month, to see Edwin Forrest play "Jack Cade."So the rumor ran about town. And Booth heard it. So he wason hand that night with his ropes and hopes—and what happened?Nothing. Lincoln didn't appear.Two months later it was reported that Lincoln was goingto drive out of the city on a certain afternoon to attend a theatricalperformance in a near-by soldiers' encampment. So Boothand his accomplices, mounted on horses and armed with bowieknivesand revolvers, hid ina stretch of woods that the Presidentwould have to pass. But when the White House carriagerolled by, Lincoln was not in it.Thwarted again, Booth stormed about, cursing, pulling athis raven-black mustache, and striking his boots with his ridingwhip.He had had enough of this. He was not going to be frustratedany longer. If he couldn't capture Lincoln, by God, hecould kill him.A few weeks later Lee surrendered and ended the war, andBooth saw then that there was no longer any point in kidnappingthe President; so he determined to shoot Lincoln at once.Booth did not have to wait long. The following Friday hehad a hair-cut, and then went to Ford's Theater to get his mail.There he learned that a box had been reserved for the Presidentfor that night's performance."What!" Booth exclaimed. "Is that old scoundrel going to behere to-night?"Stage-hands were already making ready for a gala performance,draping the left-hand box with flags against a backgroundof lace, decorating it with a picture of Washington, removingthe partition, doubling the space, lining it with crimson paperand putting in an unusually large walnut rocking-chair to accommodatethe President's long legs.Booth bribed a stage-hand to place the chair in the preciseposition that he desired; he wanted it in the angle of the boxnearest the audience, so that no one would see him enter.Through the inner door, immediately behind the rocker, hebored a small peep-hole; then dug a notch in the plastering