From that, with a steady unfaltering expansion, in spite of every effort of men to help and hinder, the Food had spread through the whole world of man.

And now?
"Even if they kill them all," Redwood whispered, "the thing is done." The secret of its making was known far and wide.

That had been his own work.

Plants, animals, a multitude of distressful growing children would conspire irresistibly to force the world to revert again to the Food, whatever happened in the present struggle.

"The thing is done," he said, with his mind swinging round beyond all his controlling to rest upon the present fate of the Children and his son.