Mexican silver, which, until the United
States began to issue special coins for the Philippine islands,
was the standard medium of exchange in the archipelago.

Marie began to dress better. Her penia cloth gave way to Chinese silks;
her wooden hair combs to expensive ones inlaid with gold, bought at
the Spanish bazar down town. Many little comforts were bought for her
home. Still the washings kept growing larger. She and her mother could
be seen back of their shack, in the shade, pounding American soldiers'
white uniforms on large boulders from early morning till night.

Aguinaldo, who had previously sold out his country and gone to
Singapore, after commissioning Dimiguez, upon hearing that war
was about to begin between the United States and Spain, made his
way northward to Hongkong. After the battle of Manila Bay, Dewey
despatched the revenue cutter, "McCulloch," to Hongkong to cable
home the news of his splendid victory. On her return to Manila,
she permitted Aguinaldo to come along.

After a brief conversation with Admiral Dewey on board the "Olympia,"
he went ashore at Cavite, his boyhood home, began to organize the
Filipinos into a powerful army, captured 1500 Spanish soldiers who
were holding out-lying posts, and hemmed in the city of Manila.

On August 13, following, Dewey and General Merritt, by a union of
their forces, captured the city of Manila which offered but slight
resistance. Aguinaldo's native troops rushed forward with the Americans
in the charge that was made by the land forces and they insisted on
looting the city. General Merritt refused this and ordered them to
withdraw beyond the city limits. This they did after considerable
wrangling. Then the Americans established out-posts on every road and
pathway leading to and from the city, completely around the town;
and they were given instructions by the commanding officer not to
allow any Filipino troops to enter the city.

Aguinaldo discarded his uniform one evening, completely
disguised himself as a Filipino fruit-vender, and made his way
into Manila. Naturally, he slipped around to the home of his old
friends, the Sampalits. He sat in a semi-darkened room, with all the
hinged-windows to the shack tightly closed and stroked Marie's soft
black hair with his left hand. As he engaged her and her mother in
conversation in subdued tones, he little thought that in so short a
time Marie would be associated with him in a series of bloody tragedies
that