Kent laughed in spite of his sore amour-propre.
"At this present moment I am doing precisely what you said I should: unloading my woes upon you."
"Oh, but I didn't say that. I said you would come to me for help. Have you?"
"I'd say yes, if I didn't know so well just what I am up against."
Miss Van Brock laughed unfeelingly.
"Is it a man's weakness to fight better in the dark?"
"It is a man's common sense to know when he is knocked out," he retorted.
She held him with her eyes while she said:
"Tell me what you want to accomplish, David; at the end of the ends, I mean. Is it only that you wish to save Miss Brentwood's little marriage portion?"
He told the simple truth, as who could help, with Portia's eyes demanding it.