He grinned at Joe and while he still keenly realized that he was playing a part for the sole purpose of gaining somehow an advantage over Joe, he was conscious of a slight giddiness.

An unprejudiced observer would have noticed that his grin was not quite the old, Casey Ryan grin.

It was a shade foolish.
"Bet your life I can feel the kick!" he agreed, nodding his head.

"You can ask anybody." Then Casey discovered something strange in Joe's appearance.

He lifted his head, held it very still and regarded Joe attentively.
"Say, Joe, what yuh tryin' to do with that six-gun?
Tryin' to write your name in the air with it ?" Joe looked inquiringly down at the gun, eyeing it as if it were a new and absolutely unknown object.