The Golden Room

'They were out late last night,' Edmund said. 'They went out again early this morning. They seemed to have a lot on their minds. They're back now.'

'Send them to the Gold Room,' said Mi

Mi

'There are some important matters I want to discuss with you,' Mi

'Walking, talking, seeing more sights of Chicago,' said Bruce. 'Mostly, talking about our futures.'

'Then you know the wedding is off,' said Mi

Cathleen nodded miserably. 'Karen told Bruce, and he told me. Armbruster called it off once he heard about you and Aunt Aida.'

'Then you know everything,' said Mi

'Only that this is not merely your home,' replied Bruce. 'It's a house of prostitution. We know that you and Aida are not socialites but brothel madams. I've never had much regard for madams. But knowing you, I've changed my mind.'

Mi

Cathleen forced a wan smile. 'I, for one, don't regret it. Karen tried to apologize to Bruce and then to me. There was nothing to be apologetic about. I simply had my wedding night without the wedding. It was wonderful.'

'Have you spoken to Alan since?' Mi

'Not in person, of course,' said Cathleen. 'He's practically a prisoner in his own home. But he telephoned me twice. He tried to get his father to change his mind. No luck. Now Alan wants to elope. I know that's impossible. It would ruin Alan's future.'

Mi

'I'm not blaming you for anything, Aunt Mi

'Thank you, Cathleen. Just don't blame Aida and me for one thing – our profession. It is an old one, and as honourable as Armbruster's. We've run a respectable establishment here. We've given fairly for everything we've received.' Mi

Bruce came to his feet, puzzled. 'It's over? What's over?'

'The Everleigh Club is being shut down tonight. Aida and I are going to jail, at least temporarily. Armbruster went to the mayor, who went to the chief of police. The chief came over with the closing order last night.'

'They can't do that to you!' Bruce exclaimed.

'They're doing it, Bruce. Legally, there is no way I can prevent it. We'll be out of business. But both of you never mind about Aida and me. We'll manage. We've made enough to get along on. We'll either retire and travel, or go somewhere else and open up again. More important, what's going to happen to the two of you?' She looked at Cathleen and added, 'What about you, Cathleen?'

'Bruce and I will be going back to Kentucky. I'll make up some story for Dad about the wedding being cancelled. He'll believe me.'

'You'll find someone else,' Mi

'There's no one I want except Alan,' Cathleen said. 'If I can't have Alan, I'd rather be a spinster.'

Mi

'I'm a little luckier than Cathleen,' he said. 'From what I won at the Derby, I can go back to Kentucky and set up a breeding farm.'

'No marital prospects?' asked Mi

'No. I -'

'That's not true,' Cathleen broke in. She fixed her gaze on her brother. 'Why don't you tell Aunt Mi

'With a prostitute?' said Mi

'She's not a prostitute,' Bruce objected. 'Karen Grant is Mayor Harrison's secretary. She was sent to the Everleigh Club to get evidence of illegal activities. After she met me, she changed her mind about being a spy for the mayor.'

'I see,' said Mi

Bruce thought about it. 'I'd like to. Yes, very much. Still, I won't be that rich. And I don't know how Karen would take to life on a Kentucky farm.'

'Find out,' said Mi

'Maybe I will.'

Mi

'In a few days,' said Bruce. 'I have to arrange to ship Frontier out of Washington Park to Kentucky.'

'Then you'll need somewhere to stay after we're closed down,' said Mi

By three-fifteen that afternoon, all the Everleigh girls had assembled in the Moorish chamber and gathered about Mi

Mi

When her eyes fixed on Karen Grant, Mi

After Karen had exited, Mi

'I'll make this short and bittersweet,' Mi

There were outcries of anguish from most of the girls, and several broke into tears.

'I know, I know,' Mi

Feeling miserable as her girls, Mi

'If the mayor says we must close, that settles it,' she resumed. 'He sent the chief of police last night to inform me. The closing order will be posted at six. Then Aida and I must go to jail, I hope only briefly. What the mayor and the chief say goes, as far as I am concerned. I'm not going to be angry about it either. I never was a complainer and nothing that the politicians and police of this town can do to me will change my disposition. I'll close up shop and walk out of the place with a smile on my face.'

One girl called out, 'What about us, Mi

'There are plenty of other houses.'

'Not like this one,' the girl called back.

'No, not like this one,' Mi