"Very clever," said the diplomatist, in a husky voice; "but then, clever as they are, we know all about it, every detail." "You do not mean to say so?" cried Tom Mitchell. "Yes. And more than that, we know the chief of the whole gang of spies," added Hebrard. "And much more than that, we know all his secrets, cunning as he is." "That is something," said Tom; "but now what you want is to catch him." "Yes," said Hebrard, "that is the very thing; you yourself must see the necessity of catching him before you start." "I should think so; it is as plain as running water; but," added Tom Mitchell, "it is not very easy to snap up such a rascal in the desert, which simply is as full of such rogues and vagabonds as an anthill is full of ants." "Don't be uneasy on that point," cried Hebrard; "I shall easily put you on his track." "All right. Then all we have to do is to catch him?" "Exactly so," said the other, with a sigh. "And you will pay for this capture?" "Very heavily, my excellent friend." "Oh! Oh! Then you are very anxious to secure him?" "Yes," continued the other, gloomily; "dead or alive; it matters not. I should say, for information's sake, dead rather than alive." "I like plain speaking. He is very much in your way?" "Very much more than I can explain." "And how much will you pay for this mission?" "Alive, twenty-five thousand; dead, fifty thousand francs." "It appears to me you prefer him dead. But never mind, give me the information. His name and address." "He is a Frenchman, who has taken the name of Oliver. In appearance he is a hunter, a trapper, anything that comes uppermost. For greater safety he has connected himself with an Indian tribe, and is to be found about the Missouri." "It is a very long way from the Mexican frontiers," observed the outlaw, in a coldly sarcastic voice. "True. But the fellow is cunning; his safety requires him to be extremely cautious. Do you accept?" "I accept on one condition," replied the other. "It is fully understood that he is to be dead, mind." "No matter, so that we have him." "Well, then, we are agreed on four hundred thousand francs (£16,000)? I shall want half down." "I have the money in gold in my valises. I will pay it to you this evening," replied the envoy. "And now that this is settled, you are in no hurry?" "None whatever." "Well, I know pretty well where to find the man you are in search of. I must say that, without suspecting the odious part he has been playing, I have on the several occasions we have met him felt the greatest repulsion." "This is extraordinary." "Well, you see, on the desert everybody knows everybody. But as I wish to make no mistake, to commit no error in so grave and important a matter, I should like you to be present at his arrest. Besides, it would be more regular." "Hum!" cried the other, with a look of considerable annoyance; "The idea of further voyage in the desert--"