'That was three months ago,' said Dr Mortimer. 'The newspaper reported his death, but it did not report all the facts.'
'Was there something strange about his death?' asked Sherlock Holmes.
' I am not certain,' said Dr Mortimer. 'There was a story about a curse on the Baskerville family. Sir Charles believed this old story.
'A curse?' I asked. 'What do you mean?'
'Here is the story,' said Dr Mortimer. He took a large piece of paper out of his pocket. 'Please read this. It is the story of the Curse of the Baskervilles.'
Holmes took the paper and read it. 'It is called the Hound of the Baskervilles,' he said. He showed me the paper. This is what is said:
In the year 1645, Sir Hugo Baskerville was the owner of Baskerville Hall. Sir Hugo was a cruel man who did not believe in God. Every day he went out hunting and drinking with a gang of wild friend.
A framer on Dartmoor had a beautiful daughter. Sir Hugo wanted to marry the girl, but she was afraid of him. The girl’s father told Sir Hugo to stay away from his farm. Sir Hugo was very angry.
One day, when the farmer was working in his fields, Sir Hugo rode to the farm with his friend. They caught the girl and took her to Baskerville Hall.
The poor girl was terrified. Sir Hugo locked her in a bedroom. Then he started drinking with his gang. When he was drunk, he became more wild and cruel. He shouted at his man and hit them.
The frightened girl waited until it was dark. Then she opened a window and escaped from Baskerville Hall.