"Useful," he said, slowly.

"Perhaps so, yes, perhaps so." And upon that he changed his tone.

"We will see, Sylvia.

You must stay here for the present, at all events.

Luckily, there is a spare room.
I have some friends here staying to supper--just a bachelor's friends, you know, taking pot-luck without any ceremony, very good fellows, not polished, perhaps, but sound of heart, Sylvia my girl, sound of heart." All his perplexity had vanished; he had taken his part; and he rattled along with a friendly liveliness which cleared the shadows from Sylvia's thoughts and provoked upon her face her rare and winning smile.