Speed Saunders Jumps to a Conclusion

Disguised Speed Saunders had just discovered that his boss/host at the San Jose Mission ("Padre") is in fact just a toady of Evil Sugar Plantation owner, useful-female-informant abductor, and suspected murderer, Nick Del Borno.

The "Evil" modifies Nick, of course.  It's not like he grows Evil Sugar or anything. Although he MIGHT, I suppose, if he's working for Mr. Slugworth.

So, faced with a soup-faced fat guy and an ineffectual (and now unarmed) knife-thrower, Speed either beats them up or just pulls out his pistol on them.

Psych.  He runs away upstairs for no accountable reason whatsoever.  

What he does next will surprise you! 

Watch 'til the end!

I can only surmise that since no mystery can withstand his scrutiny, Speed, who gets bored easily, has to act bizarrely and unpredictably to spice up his own adventures for himself.  Why else would he almost immediately turn around and LEAP at the very people he's running from?

Aerial advantage, I guess.

A Thimble Theater Donnybrook follows, with all the flying stars you could ask for.

Fortunately, Speed has no dignity to damage.

Then Speed does exactly what he could have done when he ARRIVED in San Jose. Pulls out his pistol and threatens to shoot if someone doesn't tell him who killed Arthur Bell.

Speed always takes the direct approach.
In the most indirect way possible.

So the "mystery" is, um, solved...?

I'm sure that testimony given under duress of a loaded gun will hold up in court.

Then again, perhaps Speed simply shot them right there.  I mean, it's Chinatown, Jake; who's going to stop him?

P.S. Speaking of no one daring to stop Speed, it's clear that his real boss, "Mr. Marr", did NOT fire him for taking this jaunt, aa threatened.  Speed is still working for the NYC Harbror Patrol for at least four more issues.