n you come to visit us
at _Roche Craie_ you can have some famous gallops. I hate the English
riding horse with his eternal trotting and the rider working himself to
death posting. Our horses are good Kentucky riding stock with gaits. I
hope you brought your riding habits."

"I did!" and "I did!" said Molly and Judy almost in the same breath.

"I never move without my riding habit, bathing suit and skates,"
declared Judy. "I learned my lesson about my bathing suit once when I
spent the summer in camp with Papa. I did not know we would have any
bathing worthy the name and did not put mine in the trunk. When we got
there we found that the only form of bath that could be had was in a
creek as there was not even a basin in camp, and there was I without a
bathing suit! Papa was furious at my stupidity. We were miles from any
kind of shop. 'Necessity is the mother of invention,' so I took a big
laundry bag, cut slits for arms and legs, tied the draw string around my
neck, and with a neat belt I looked quite chic. It did not give me much
freedom for swimming but I could at least get the necessary bath."

Every one roared at the picture Judy drew of herself tied up in the
laundry bag and just then they got out of the jam on the Avenue, crossed
the great Boulevard des Italiens, and stopped at the beautiful entrance
to the Opera.

The d'Ochte box was in the first tier and proved very roomy and
comfortable, commanding an excellent view of the house as well as the
stage.

"We have come early on purpose," said the marchioness, "as I wanted you
to see the house fill. I can point out any celebrities I happen to know
before the performance begins."

The girls and Mrs. Brown were seated in the front, with the host and
hostess and their son in the back of the box. There were two extra
seats, but madame declared that she liked to have some left for
visitors.

"_Louise_ is the opera of all others to introduce strangers to Paris,"
explained Philippe to Molly. "It is Paris, Paris sounds, Paris sights,
the tragedy and comedy of Paris."

Molly was devoutly thankful that she had bought the libretto of the
opera of _Louise_ when she and her mother had ventured out to see the
tomb of Napoleon after the visit of Cousin Sally in the morning; and
when they were taking their much needed rest before dressing for dinner
in the Faubourg, she had read it aloud to her mother.

"I was so afraid I might miss something," she explained ingenuously t