"At the border of the Gobi Desert, where we believe the Wusun to be," continued the scientist warmly, as Gray was silent, "a center of Buddhism existed in the Middle Ages. The three sects of Buddhist priests--Black, Yellow and Red--are united in the effort to preserve their power. They preach the advent of the Gautama in the next few years. Also, that the ancient Gautama ruled the spiritual world before the coming of Christianity. "So you can see," he pointed out, "that the discovery of a white race--a race that did not acknowledge Buddha--in the heart of China would be a blow to their doctrine. It would contradict their book of prophecy." Gray nodded, puffing at his pipe. Presently, he stirred himself to speak. "Rather suspect you're right, Professor. You know the religious dope. And the religions of Asia are not good things to monkey with. But, look here." He drew a map from his pocket and spread it out on his knee. "Here's the spot where Van Schaick located the Wusun--our long-lost but not forgotten cousins. Well and good. Only that spot, which you and your friends call the 'blind spot' of Asia, happens to be in the middle of the far Gobi Desert. How do you figure people existed there for several centuries?" Delabar hesitated, glancing up at the moving tracery of smoke that rose from the funnel, against the clouds. They were on the boat deck. "The Ming annals mention a city in that place, some two thousand years ago. A thousand years later we know there were many palaces at this end of the Thian Shan--the Celestial Mountains. Remember that the caravan routes from China to Samarcand, India and Persia are very old, and that they--or one of the most important of them--ran past this blind spot." "Marco Polo trailed along there, didn't he?" "Yes. We know the great city of the Gobi was called Sungan. The Ming annals describe it as having 'massive gates, walls and bastions, besides underground passages, vaulted and arched.'" "European travelers don't report this city." "Because they never saw it, my friend. Brent, who was at the edge of the Gobi near there, states that he saw towers in the sand. And the Mohammedan annals of Central Asia have a curious tale." "Let's have it," said Gray, settling himself comfortably in his chair. "It was in the sixteenth century," explained Delabar, who seemed to have the myths of Asia at his tongue's end. "A religious legend. A certain holy man, follower of the prophet, was robbed and beaten in a city near where we believe Sungan to be. After his injury by the people of the city--he was a mullah--he climbed into a minaret to call the hour of evening prayer." Delabar's voice softened as he spoke, sliding into more musical articulation.