He seemed to understand his gloom.

During those days their work brought those two together, for Billy Jack had the running of the drills, and to Thomas was intrusted the responsibility of "dropping" the potatoes, so Hughie and the old man undertook to "cover" after Thomas.
Side by side they hoed together, speaking not a word for an hour at a time, but before long the old man appeared to feel the lad's sympathy.
Hughie was quick to save him steps, and eager in many ways to anticipate his wishes.

He was quick, too, with the hoe, and ambitious to do his full share of the work, and this won the old man's respect, so that by the end of the first day there was established between them a solid basis of friendship.
Old Donald Finch was no cheerful companion for Hughie, but it was to Hughie a relief, more than anything else, that he was not much with either Thomas or Billy Jack.
"You're tired," he ventured, in answer to a deep sigh from the old man, toward the close of the day.
"No, laddie," replied the old man, "I know not that I am working.

The burden of toil is the least of all our burdens." And then, after a pause, he added, "It is a terrible thing, is sin." To an equal in age the old man would never have ventured this confidence, but to Hughie, to his own surprise, he found it easy to talk.
"A terrible thing," he repeated, "and it will always be finding you out." Hughie listened to him with a fearful sinking of heart, thinking of himself and his sin.
"Yes," repeated the old man, with awful solemnity, "it will come up with you at last." "But," ventured Hughie, timidly, "won't God forgive?
Won't he ever forget ?" The old man looked at him, leaning upon his hoe.
"Yes, he will forgive.

But for those who have had great privileges, and who have sinned against light--I will not say." The fear deepened in Hughie's heart.
"Do you mean that God will not forgive a man who has had a good chance, an elder, or a minister, or--or--a minister's son, say, like me ?" There was something in Hughie's tone that startled the old man.