Again Billy Jack caught her look, and commanded himself to silence.
"The fire is low, William John," she said, in a quiet voice.

Billy Jack rose, and from the wood-box behind the stove, replenished the fire, reading perfectly his mother's mind, and resolving at all costs to do her will.
At the taking of the books that night the prayer, which was spoken in a tone of awful and almost inaudible solemnity, was for the most part an exaltation of the majesty and righteousness of the government of God, and a lamentation over the wickedness and rebellion of mankind.

And Billy Jack thought it was no good augury that it closed with a petition for grace to maintain the honor of that government, and to uphold that righteous majesty in all the relations of life.

It was a woeful evening to them all, and as soon as possible the household went miserably to bed.
Before going to her room the mother slipped up quietly to the loft and found Thomas lying in his bunk, dressed and awake.

He was still puzzling out his ethical problem.