f his bargain and sold him to an alchemist.

In the West, as well as in the East, there were still men who
believed in the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life. By means
of the still undiscovered Stone they hoped to change base metals into
gold, while the equally undiscovered Elixir was to prolong life
indefinitely, and to make old people young.

Vincent's master was an enthusiast in his profession and kept ten or
fifteen furnaces always burning in which to conduct his experiments.
His slave, whose business it was to keep them alight, was kindly
treated; the old man soon grew very fond of him and would harangue
him by the hour on the subject of metals and essences. His great
desire was that Vincent should become a Mohammedan like himself, a
desire which, needless to say, remained unfulfilled, in spite of the
large sums of money he promised if his slave would only oblige him in
this matter.

The old alchemist, however, had a certain reputation in his own
country. Having been sent for one day to the Sultan's Court, he died
on the way, leaving his slave to his nephew, who lost no time in
getting rid of him.

Vincent's next master was a Frenchman who had apostatized and was
living as a Mohammedan on his farm in the mountains. This man had
three wives, who were very kind to the poor captive--especially one
of them, who, although herself a Mohammedan, was to be the cause of
her husband's conversion and Vincent's release. She would go out to
the fields where the Christian slave was working and bid him tell her
about his country and his religion. His answers seemed to impress her
greatly, and one day she asked him to sing her one of the hymns they
sang in France in praise of their God.

The request brought tears to Vincent's eyes. He thought of the
Israelites captive in Babylon, and of their answer to a similar
demand. With an aching heart he intoned the psalm, "By the waters of
Babylon," while the woman, strangely impressed by the plaintive
chant, listened attentively and, when he had ended, begged for more.

The _Salve Regina_ followed, and other songs of praise, after which
she went home silent and thoughtful. That night she spoke to her
husband. "I cannot understand," she said, "why you have given up a
religion which is so good and holy. Your Christian slave has been
telling me of your Faith and of your God, and has sung songs in His
praise. My heart was so full of joy while he sang that I do not
believe I sha