Unconsciously he pushed his hat forward over one eye, drew back his lips in a fighting grin, stepped down off the low doorsill with a lurch that nearly sent him sprawling and went weaving belligerently toward a group of five men whose attitude was anything but conciliatory.
"Casey Ryan! I'm dogged if it ain't Casey!" exclaimed a familiar voice in the group, whereat the others looked astonished.

Through his slits of swollen lids Casey glared toward the voice and recognized Barney Oakes, grinning at him with what Casey considered a Judas treachery.
He saw two men step away from Joe and the boss, leaving them in handcuffs.
"Take them irons off'n my friends!" bellowed Casey as he charged.
"Whadda yuh think you're doin', anyway?
Take 'em off! It's Casey Ryan that's tellin' yuh, an' yuh better heed what he says, before you're tore from limb to limb!" "B-but, Casey! This 'ere's a shurf's possy!" The voice of Barney rose in a protesting 'squawk.

"I brung 'em all the way over here to your rescue! They brung a cor'ner to view your remains! Don't you know your pardner, BARNEY OAKES?
"Ah-h--I know yuh think I don't?
I know yuh to a fare-yuh-well! Brung a cor'ner, did yuh?
Tha's all right--goin' t' need a cor'ner-but he won't set on Casey Ryan's remains--you c'n ask anybody if any cor'ners ever set on Casey Ryan yit! Naw." Casey snarled as contemptuously as was possible to a man in his condition.

"No cor'ner ever set on Casey Ryan, an' he ain't goin' to!" The men glanced questioningly at one another.

One laughed.