There was a wound at the side of his forehead from which a little blood was trickling.

The case-opener lay on the floor close by him and there was blood on the axe-blade.

When I looked up the stairs I saw a rag of torn matting hanging over the top stair.
"It was quite easy to see what had happened.

He had walked quickly out on the landing with the case-opener in his hand.

His foot had caught in the torn matting and he had pitched head foremost down the stairs, still holding the case-opener.