"Scuse me, Colonel, sah," he began, "but does yo' want t' heah any news?"
"Any news, Shag? What sort? Come, speak up, you rascal!"
"Well, sah, Colonel, yo' done tell me, when we come heah, not t' trouble yo' wif any detective news, but—"
"Oh, that was before I got mixed up in this Darcy case, Shag. The prohibition is off, so to speak. If you have any news—"
"No, sah, Colonel, 'tisn't 'bout po' ole Miss Darcy—leastways not much about her. But dere's been annudder murder in town."
"Another murder?"
"Yes, Colonel. Boys on de streets yellin' extry papers now, all 'bout de murder."
"Who is it? Where? When did it happen?"
"Jest 'bout a hour ago. It's a man—a Indian man whut kept a curiosity shop—de same place where yo' an' me was lookin' at dem funny snake candlesticks las' week."
"Singa Phut's place? Great Scott, Shag! You don't mean to tell me, he's killed, do you?"