At a small table not far away from where the young people were seated, sat an elderly man and a lady.
“There is Doctor Renwick and his wife,” said Laura, when the meal was finished. “They must have been sleighing, too. I am going to speak to them.” For Dr. Renwick came from Crumville, 107 and had often attended the Porter family, as well as the Wadsworths.
“We are staying here for a few days,” said Mrs. Renwick to Dave’s sister, after they had shaken hands. “You see, the proprietor of this hotel and restaurant is my cousin.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” said Laura. “They certainly have a very nice place here, and the dinner we had was just too lovely for anything.”
“Are you folks calculating to drive back to Crumville now?” questioned Dr. Renwick.
“That was our expectation,” replied Dave, who had followed his sister; “but it looks pretty fierce outside, doesn’t it?”
“I should say so, Porter. Just listen to that wind, and see how it is driving the snow! I shouldn’t like to face it for any great distance.”
The others came up, and all the strangers were introduced to the doctor and his wife, and then the entire party left the restaurant and entered the parlor of the hotel, from the windows of which they could watch the storm.
“It certainly is fierce!” remarked Phil, as they gazed at the furious onslaught of the elements.
The wind was blowing as hard as ever, rattling the windows and sending the snow against the panes as if it were so much hail. It was impossible to see across the street, and, although Lamont 108 boasted of a limited electric light service, all the lights upon the street corners were out.