Marching Sands
master, not you. That was agreed in the covenant of my fathers and their fathers before them. You have not forgotten the covenant?"
"I have not forgotten," returned the mandarin calmly. "It is to ask for the person of this murderer that I come now. When I have him, I will go."
"Whom has he slain?"
"Two of my men who watched at one of the passages."
"Have the Wusun asked that guards be placed in the passages?"
Wu Fang Chien scowled, then smiled blandly.
"We were waiting to seize this man—a foreign devil. An enemy of your people as well as mine."
Gray watched the two keenly. He had observed that many of the Wusun near Bassalor Danek were armed, after a fashion. They carried bows, and others had swords at their hips. The followers of Wu Fang Chien seemed ill at ease. Moreover, their presence in the hall appeared to anger the Wusun.
Thrust suddenly into a totally strange environment, Gray had only his wits to rely upon. He was unaware of the true situation of the Wusun, as of their character. But certain things were clear.
They were not overfond of Wu Fang Chien. And they were bolder in bearing than the Chinese. Bassalor Danek, who had the title of Gur-Khan, had spoken of a covenant which seemed to be more
216
