"Born in Cologne ... year, sixty-three ... worked as valet and major domo for British families ... came to America with Mr. Stockbridge, and have been with him since?" "That's correct, sir," the valet said, with a start of amazement. "Are you married?" "Twice--sir." "Wife living?" "Both, sir. I'm paying a small alimony to both." Delaney grunted. His foot went out toward the magpie which had finished hopping about the perches of the cage, and was listening with head cocked sideways. "You--you have charge of this bird?" asked Drew, turning fully around and facing the valet with heavy-lidded intentness. "I'm its keeper, sir!" Delaney coughed explosively. He leaned down to cover his confusion. He jabbed a thumb at the bird. "It's savage," he rumbled. "It pecked at me!" "Easy," warned Drew, with a quick frown. "Easy, Delaney. I want to get to the facts of this case. We're wasting time." "Go ahead, Chief." "I've had you come down here," said Drew, turning to the valet, "in order to find out about that magpie. You had charge of it when Mr. Stockbridge was alive?" "Yes, sir. I fed it and kept it clean, for the--master." The valet sniffled slightly. Drew watched him with keen eyes. "Did it repeat much of Mr. Stockbridge's conversation?" he asked. "Repeat, sir?" "What I'm trying to get at is, whether or not the bird was in the habit of repeating words that seemed to strike its fancy. Did it act like a parrot?" "It's very much like a parrot, sir. Sometimes it was sulky and wouldn't say anything for days. Other times, sir, we had trouble keeping it quiet." Drew turned in his chair and fingered a paper. "I looked up everything I can find in my library here, in regard to magpies," he said. "Is there any difference between an ordinary magpie and a Spanish one?" he added, turning. "I don't think so, sir. They can all be taught to talk--the same as a parrot, sir." "Then if this bird should repeat a word, or two words, over and over again it would be plausible to assume that some one had used the word or two words. I want to make myself clear," Drew added with engaging candor. "What I'm getting at is important in view of the fact that this magpie used two words after we broke down the door to the library and found Mr. Stockbridge murdered." Delaney leaned forward. "The words this bird used were 'Ah Sing,' as near as we can arrive at them. Did you ever hear it repeat that couplet?" "I can't say that I have, sir." The detective lifted his brows and stared at the cage. "Repeat that," he said to Delaney. "Repeat what we heard in the library." "Ah, Sing! Ah, Sing! Ah, Sing!" boomed the operative. The magpie ruffled its feathers and darted about the cage like a sparrow in a barrel. "Keep it up," said Drew. "Ah, Sin! Ah, Sing! Ah, Singing!" roared Delaney. "That'll do! You've frightened it. Let it alone for a while. We'll keep it here, Otto. I'll send it back in a few days. How's Miss Stockbridge bearing the strain, up at the house?"