He had fallen so that his head had come down on the upturned edge of the axe-blade; he had then rolled over and the case-opener had dropped from his hand.
"I lit a wax match and stooped down to look at him.

His head was in a very peculiar position, which made me suspect that his neck was broken.
There was extremely little bleeding from the wound; he was perfectly motionless; I could detect no sign of breathing; and I felt no doubt that he was dead.
"It was an exceedingly regrettable affair, and it placed me, as I perceived at once, in an extremely awkward position.

My first impulse was to send the caretaker for a doctor and a policeman; but a moment's reflection convinced me that there were serious objections to this course.
"There was nothing to show that I had not, myself, knocked him down with the case-opener.

Of course, there was nothing to show that I had; but we were alone in the house with the exception of the caretaker, who was down in the basement out of ear-shot.
"There would be an inquest.

At the inquest, inquiries would be made as to the will which was known to exist.