Meaning of lines "it looks as though captain von stahle preferred to stay with you tonight ,stjernstrom? In the chapter rattrap

The ironmaster (the man in whose house the peddler will stay for Christmas consequently) said these words to the master blacksmith(Stjernström) who worked at the furnace, meaning,that it seemed to him that his old acquaintance wanted to stay tonight with him near the furnace. He gave up persuading the peddler to visit him but laughed after saying the statement turning on his heels.. the master blacksmith (Stjernström) who knew him understood by this that he had not given his final word.