CHAPTER VI.
AS A SPY
Marie was well equipped by instinct and experience for a spy. Thetragic nature of such work was exceptionally inviting to her. Whena chance came to undertake it, she lost no time in embracing theopportunity.
After passing out through the American lines, she drove on down theslope of the hill and crossed the San Juan River on the old stonebridge where the fighting was begun that night by young Grayson ofthe Nebraska regiment. After reaching the Filipinos' lines she at oncereported to her uncle, Colonel Miguel, and had an extended interviewwith him.
Secret plans were agreed upon whereby she was to become the colonel'schief scout. Two Filipino soldiers were sent to accompany her oldmother to the little town of Angono on the eastern bank of Lake Lagunade Bay, near its northern end. A native family, quite familiar withthe Sampalits and related to them, lived in this village. Marie stayedwith the troops in the field. Her young brain danced at the thoughtof more bloodshed. She must be in the fight.
Just what part Marie took in the attack made upon the Americans bythe Filipinos on the night of February 4th, and in the fighting onFebruary 5th, the world will never know. The two main figures inthese operations were Colonel Miguel, in command of the main portionof the Filipino forces, and Colonel Stotsenberg, who commanded the1st Nebraska volunteers. Before the close of the war these men wereboth shot; consequently, there is no one left to tell the story,and history is silent on the point.
After the fight of February 4 and 5, the entire line of block-housesand intrenchments circumscribing Manila, were in the hands of theAmericans. From the Pasig river on the east, around the city to thebay on the north, this line was commanded by Major-General MacArthur;the corresponding semi-circle on the south, by Major-General Anderson.
During the next seven weeks, fresh troops were constantlyarriving. Each side was preparing for the long, inevitable conflict.
At day break, on March 25, General MacArthur, leaving Hall's brigadein the trenches and placing those of Otis and Hale on the firing line,which was over seven miles in length, made a brilliant charge alongthe entire front on the Filipinos' breastworks about a mile and ahalf distant and constructed parallel to those of the Americans'.
Before night he had cut the Filipino army into hopeless fragments;had advanced his own army over nine miles; had inflicted a terribleloss upon Aguinaldo's troops; had demonstrated to them the differencebetween a determined American advance and an irresolute Spanish one;and had taken up in earnest the invasion of Luzon, the capture ofthe Filipinos' temporary capital, Malolos, the overthrow of theirprovisional government, and the establishment of American sovereigntythroughout the entire archipelago.
That night, about eleven o'clock, a nervous Filipino woman came walkingdown along the American out-post reserves which, during actual war,are usually only from 100 to 200 feet in the rear of the sentries. Shereached Company "G's" reserve of the 1st South Dakota Volunteers,where she was ordered to halt. She refused, but acted as though shedid not understand. Drawing a large bamboo bonnet down over her faceto conceal her identity, she mumbled something apparently to herself,and walked rapidly on. In a moment she was seized; her bonnet wastorn off; her identity revealed: it was Marie.
She had been counting the American out-posts and the reserves to seeif the defeated Filipinos, with the reinforcements which they hadreceived, would be warranted in making a night attack.
She boldly denied her identification; fought, scratched,scrambled--making it necessary to employ two privates, a corporaland a sergeant to send her to the rear.
When she was taken before Major William F. Allison, commanding the3rd battalion of the South Dakotas, who was acting as field-officerthat night, he ordered her restrained until morning. A tired privatewas detailed to guard her. He gave her a rubber poncho, and insistedthat she wrap herself up in it and lie down to sleep. Although shedrew the poncho about her to keep herself warm (it grew very chillybefore morning) she refused to sleep, and made repeated efforts toescape. Her teeth chattered and she seemed distressed--evidentlythrough fear of what the morning might bring to her.
The next day she was set free, after taking a solemn oath to returnto Manila and not take any further part in the insurrection. Shepleaded earnestly for her liberty, and voluntarily promised thatafter her return to Manila she would do washing free of charge forthe American soldiers who were sick in quarters.
After being liberated, Marie walked eastward, following an irregularsled-road; that is, a road-way used by the Filipinos for sleddingtheir rice to market. This is done by means of a bamboo sled drawnover the dry ground by a caribou. She followed this road for overtwo miles until she came to the San Mateo river.
Although given a few hardtack by her captors at the time of herrelease, she was getting hungry. As she approached the stream shenoticed an old Filipino standing near his bamboo cabin which was neatlytucked away oh the slope of a deep ravine near by. Turning from herpathway which had now grown somewhat indistinct she approached theold gentleman.
When quite close to him she said, "Buenos dias," (Good morning inSpanish.)
"Magandang umaga," (Good morning, in Tagalo), muttered the old man.
After a brief conversation during which Marie told him that she hadbeen captured by the Americans, had been terribly misused and he had amiraculous escape, he invited her into his cabin where his aged wifegave her something to eat. This breakfast consisted of boiled rice,some fish which the old man had just brought from his set lines inthe San Mateo river, and some bacon which he had found along thetrail made by the American's pack train the day before.
While the old couple were outside of their home--he breaking upsome bamboo with which to re-kindle the fire, and she, cleaning thefish--Marie ransacked the house. She stole a large diamond ring whichthe old man had taken from the finger of a Spanish officer duringthe previous insurrection. She opened an old mahogany chest and tookfrom it a rosary valued at several hundred dollars; also a gold linedcup which the old man, himself, had stolen from a Spanish priest,and some Spanish coins.
After a hearty lunch, she started on.
Crossing the river at the rapids, on the boulders which projectedabove the water, she quickened her steps and hurried along. Changingher course to the southward, she started for the northern end of LakeLaguna de Bay to see her mother.
She had not gone far through a small clump of timber when she cameupon the corpse of a Filipino soldier who had been shot in the previousday's engagement,--perhaps by a stray ball. Hastily stealing the crosswhich hung from a small cord about his neck, and a valueless ring fromone of his fingers, she seized his Mauser rifle and his cartridge beltwhich was partly filled with ammunition, and then resumed her journey.
A short distance ahead was a large opening--an old rice fieldwell cleared. She had scarcely begun to cross it when she heard anoise. She turned and saw the bow-legged old man whom she had robbed,with a machete in his hand, coming after her as fast as he could. Hehad discovered that the rosary was missing, and upon looking around,that several other things were gone; therefore he at once startedin pursuit of the fiend who had just enjoyed his hospitality. Mariewas not disturbed. Raising to her shoulder the rifle which she hadjust found, she took deliberate aim and at the first shot laid himlow in death.
She reached the small native village of Angono, where her mother wasstopping, about four o'clock in the afternoon of March 26th.
The old lady was wonderfully elated to receive the new jewels whichMarie had stolen. She put on the rosary and danced about in the nativehut like a young child on Christmas morning, when it sees the gorgedstocking fastened to its bed.