nine in the evening
After dinner they drew close round the fire and prolonged the roasting and eating of chestnuts and drinking whisky throughout the afternoon , -- for whisky was there , strongly as Stephen objected to see her drink it ; still it was their wedding day , and he let it pass . As darkness came down a whirling snow-storm swept through the gulch ; they could see the thin sharp flakes fly past the window on the cutting wind , and hear the whistling roar of the storm as it struck and beat upon the cabin . They only flung more logs into the stove , and gave a backward glance over their shoulders from time to time towards the window . By nine in the evening , when Talbot was leaving them to go to his own cabin , it had calmed down a little , though the wind still moaned in the hollows of the gulch . Stephen and Katrine stood at the window a second after he had gone , looking out into the curious misty whiteness and blackness commingled of the night . `` I am sorry there should be such a storm the first day you are here , darling , '' said Stephen softly , putting his arm round her waist . `` Why , what does that matter ?