The Watcher by the Threshold

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The Watcher by the Threshold (1918)
by John Buchan
2949273The Watcher by the Threshold1918John Buchan



THE WATCHER BY
THE THRESHOLD



JOHN BUCHAN




BY JOHN BUCHAN



NEW YORK
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY



THE WATCHER BY
THE THRESHOLD

BY
JOHN BUCHAN

Author of "Greenmantle,"
"Salute to Adventurers,"
etc.


NEW YORK

GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY

Copyright, 1918,
By George H. Doran Company

Printed in the United States of America

TO

STAIR AGNEW GILLON

My dear Stair,

We have travelled so many roads together, highland and lowland, pleasant and dreary, that I ask you to accept this book of travellers' tales. For Scotland is a wide place to travel in for those who believe that it is not bounded strictly by kirk and market-place, and who have an ear for old songs and lost romances. It is of the back-world of Scotland that I write, the land behind the mist and over the seven bens, a place hard of access for the foot-passenger but easy for the maker of stories. Meantime, to you, who have chosen the better part, I wish many bright days by hill and loch in the summers to come.

R. M. S. Briton, at sea J. B.

"Among idle men there be some who tarry in the outer courts, speeding the days joyfully with dance and song. But the other sort dwell near the portals of the House, and are ever anxious and ill at ease that they may see something of the Shadows which come and go. Wherefore night and day they are found watching by the threshold, in fearfulness and joy, not without tears." Extract from the writings of Donisarius of Padua, circa 1310.

CONTENTS

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.


The longest-living author of this work died in 1940, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 83 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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