Bill Horton was a cautious man of the road
He walked lookin' over his shoulder and remained faithful to its code
When something caught his eye he'd measure his need

And then very carefully he'd proceed

Billy met a young girl in the early days of May

It was there in her arms he let his cautiousness slip away
In their lovers twilight as the evening sky grew dim
He'd lay back in her arms and laugh at what had happened to him


On his right hand Billy'd tattooed the word love and on his left hand was the word fear
And in which hand he held his fate was never clear

Come Indian summer he took his young lover for his bride
And with his own hands built her a great house down by the riverside


Now Billy was an honest man he wanted to do what was right
He worked hard to fill their lives with happy days and loving night
Alone on his knees in the darkness for steadiness he'd pray

For he knew in a restless heart the seed of betrayal lay

One night Billy awoke from a terrible dream callin' his wife's name

She lay breathing beside him in a peaceful sleep, a thousand miles away
He got dressed in the moonlight and down to the highway he strode
When he got there he didn't find nothing but road


Billy felt a coldness rise up inside him that he couldn't name
Just as the words tattooed 'cross his knuckles he knew would always remain

At their bedside he brushed the hair from his wife's face as the moon shone on her skin so white
Filling their room in the beauty of God's fallen light