Very Short Summary
Texas, 1880s. The newly appointed Commissioner of Insurance, Statistics, and History received a visit from a troubled woman seeking help from the governor.
The commissioner recognized her as the daughter of his old friend Amos Colvin. She explained that her husband, notorious gunman Benton Sharp, had abused her and squandered her inheritance. Though his department had no authority to help, Standifer promised to look into the matter. After learning that Sharp had insured his life for $5,000, Standifer traveled to San Antonio.
In a restaurant confrontation, Standifer provoked Sharp into drawing his gun, then shot him dead in self-defense. When Amanda returned to the office, Standifer explained his actions.
The Department of Insurance, Statistics, and History has done the best it could with your case. Statistics failed, and History missed fire, but we came out particularly strong on Insurance.
Detailed Summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
The Commissioner and Mrs. Sharp's Plea
In Texas you may travel a thousand miles in a straight line. If your course is a crooked one, it is likely that both the distance and your rate of speed may be vastly increased. Clouds there sail serenely against the wind.
In the state of Texas, there was a government official who held the position of Commissioner of Insurance, Statistics, and History.
One day, a woman in mourning clothes entered his office, initially mistaking him for the governor. She appeared prematurely aged despite her youth, bearing visible signs of hardship and abuse.
She revealed herself as Amanda Sharp, daughter of Amos Colvin, an old friend and fellow ranger of Standifer's. She explained her desperate situation: her husband had turned abusive, squandered their resources, and recently struck her when she asked for money to live on.
Failed Attempt at Official Help
The Department of Insurance, Statistics, and History carried no great heft of the burden of state... History? The branch was purely a receptive one... Most of the work in the history branch went into pigeon-holes.
Moved by her plight and his connection to her father, Standifer attempted to help through official channels. He visited the state treasurer, hoping to secure funds for Amanda from the state treasury.
To the devil with the legislature... I see now what a little, rag-tag, bob-tail, gotch-eared department I've been put in charge of. It seems to be about as important as an almanac or a hotel register.
The Commissioner's Personal Solution
After his failed attempt at official assistance, Standifer took matters into his own hands. He confirmed that Benton Sharp had insured his life for $5,000 with the premiums paid up, then caught a train to San Antonio where Sharp was staying.
Benton Sharp, one of the most noted 'bad' men in that part of the state--a man who had been a cattle thief, an outlaw, a desperado, and was now a gambler, a swaggering bully, who plied his trade in larger frontier towns
That night in the Gold Front Restaurant, Standifer deliberately provoked Sharp by dropping his hat on him. When Sharp reached for his gun, Standifer demonstrated remarkable speed and accuracy, shooting him through the heart. The incident was ruled self-defense by witnesses.
Resolution Through Insurance
Statistics seem to be overdrawn at the bank, and History isn't good for a square meal. But you've come to the right place, ma'am. The department will see you through.
When Mrs. Sharp returned to the office as scheduled, she found the commissioner calmly eating an apple. With the help of his clerk Kauffman, he confirmed that the insurance company would pay all claims within ten days. Through this unconventional solution, the Department of Insurance, Statistics, and History had managed to help Amos Colvin's daughter, even if Statistics and History had failed.