code: public static short getFlagsFromQualifier(final byte[] qualifier, 
        final int offset) {
      validateQualifier(qualifier, offset);
      if ((qualifier[offset] & Const.MS_BYTE_FLAG) == Const.MS_BYTE_FLAG) {
        return (short) (qualifier[offset + 3] & Internal.FLAGS_MASK); 
      } else {
        return (short) (qualifier[offset + 1] & Internal.FLAGS_MASK);
      }
    }
docs: Parses the flag bits from the qualifier
  @param qualifier The qualifier to parse
  @param offset An offset within the byte array
  @return A short representing the last 4 bits of the qualifier
  @throws IllegalArgumentException if the qualifier is null or the offset falls
  outside of the qualifier array
  @since 2.0