Certainty Ralph Darley had something to do with it, but he was badly wounded and out of the question now, so that he, Mark Eden, must take all the blame.
Then, too, he could not understand his own acts.

It all seemed so absurd, just such a confused sequence of events as would take place in a dream, for him to be listening to Ralph's appeal for help, and to begin pitying him, his natural enemy, feeling toward him as if he were his dearest friend; and then, with his heart burning with rage against those who had injured him and his, to follow his father, panting to get ready an expedition whose object was to drive Captain Purlrose and his murderous, thieving crew off the face of the earth.
That was not the greatest puzzle which helped to confuse Mark Eden, for there was his father's conduct, so directly opposed to everything which had gone before; but at last, after fighting with his confusion for some time, his head grew clearer, and he drew a long deep breath.
"I know how it is," he said to himself, with a curious smile, mingled of pleasure and pain; "the old trouble's dead.

This business has killed it, and I'm jolly glad." "Mark, boy," said his father just then, and it seemed to the lad that his father must have been thinking and feeling in a similar way, "I daresay you think my conduct strange, after all the teachings of the past, but nature is sometimes stronger than education, and after what has taken place we must, as English gentlemen, forget all old enmity, and behave toward the Darleys as--as--as--" "I'm sure Ralph and his father would have behaved towards us, if we had been in such a terrible state." "Yes, my boy--thank you--exactly," cried Sir Edward, with a sigh of relief.

"I was afraid you would think it half mad and strange of me to be doing this, when--when you see we could go over and take possession of the Darley's place, and hold it for our own." "But we couldn't now, father," cried Mark.

"If it had been a challenge, and we had gone and attacked them, and conquered, it would have been grand, but the Edens couldn't go and fight wounded men--hit people when they are down." "No, my boy," said Sir Edward firmly; "the Edens could not do that." A busy day followed, with the men collected in a state of the wildest excitement, those who had been wounded in the attack upon the cavern and the bitter encounter between the allies for the most part declaring their readiness to bear arms again.
"But you're not fit, Dan," said Mark, as he stood talking to the head miner.
"Not fit, Master Mark ?" cried the sturdy old fellow, showing his teeth; "I'm going to show that gang of murderous wolves that I am very fit indeed.