Seeing that Mr.Cowperwood was so well able to dispose of the million he expected to get, it would be perfectly all right to award it to him; but Van Nostrand had a counter-proposition to make.

Would Cowperwood, if the financial crowd now handling the matter so desired, turn over his award to them for a consideration--a sum equal to what he expected to make--in the event the award was made to him?
Certain financiers desired this.

It was dangerous to oppose them.

They were perfectly willing he should put in a bid for five million and get the prestige of that; to have him awarded one million and get the prestige of that was well enough also, but they desired to handle the twenty-three million dollars in an unbroken lot.

It looked better.