His tone seemed friendly.

"An' if you ever lived long in Texas you wouldn't pester a lady an' you sure wouldn't talk like you do." "What!" shouted Riggs, hotly.

He dropped his right hand significantly to his hip.
"Don't throw your gun.

It might go off," said Dale.
Whatever Riggs's intention had been--and it was probably just what Dale evidently had read it--he now flushed an angry red and jerked at his gun.
Dale's hand flashed too swiftly for Helen's eye to follow it.

But she heard the thud as it struck.