The rest of the day was following the tracks and spore of the cattle.  Not to hard to follow.  The Bandits were sure of themselves, thinking they could do as they pleased and no one would dare follow them.  The sound of cattle made him stop and signal the others to do the same.  He dismounted and moved ahead hugging the rocks of the canyon they were in.  Peering around a rock he spotted the cattle and the bandits all around a fire, drinking and laughing.  He went back to the others and motioned them to proceed cautiously.  The Cow Hands knew what to do, but he was not sure if Arthur did.  With guns drawn the posse moved forward and took up positions behind rocks.<br/><br/>That is when Arthur did the stupidness thing ever.  He stood up pointed his rifle at the Bandits and yelled out, "Hands up.  You are all under arrest."<br/><br/>Jed rolled his yes and grabbed him and pulled him back as a bullet tore through the space that he had been standing in.  "Idiot.  This is not New York City or some place like that.  People here shoot first and ask questions later.  Now the Bandits were alerted and tried to take up better positions, but the Cow Hands began firing and several went down, dead or wounded.  John poked himself around the rock and fired three quick shots at the bandits and hit one on the run, taking him down.  The Bandits fired back and bullets splattered off rocks sending small fragments flying.  The roar of the guns in the canyon startled the cattle and they began to stampede in the opposite direction.  It was not to long before the remaining few bandits threw down their guns and surrendered.  Like most they had no stomach for dying.  The Cow Hands quickly rounded them up and the wounded and tied them up.  Then they set off to find the cattle and bring them back leaving John and Billy and Mary Ann, and of course Arthur who looked stunned and bewildered.<br/><br/>Jed looked at the motley bandits and shook his head.  Once the others returned they would begin their trip back to town.  It didn't take long for the Cow Hands to round up the cattle and head them back down the canyon.  When they returned they were all for Hanging the Bandits then and there.  "They will hang, but after a judge pronounces judgement on them and that is after a fair trial.  There is no doubt about their guilt and I am sure a jury will find them all guilty.  But there will be no lynching.  You can all come see the trial and the hangings."  They still complained and wanted to hang them but when Mary Ann chimed in on Jed's side they grugenly agreed.<br/><br/>Arthur was shocked and horrified when the men wanted to hang the bandits.  "That is barbaric, uncivilized.  Everyone is allowed a trial."  he had chimed in on the conversation.  It was not back East out in the territories.  Indeed at times it was barbaric and savage.  Only the Law like himself kept it toned down and made it more civilized.  During the ride back, "Would they have really hung them without a trial?"  he asked.<br/><br/>"That's right.  If I was not here, they would have and no one would be the wiser.  They are all good men, but these bandits killed a couple of their friends.  That does not go unpunished out here.  Remember this is not the East.  The law out here is far and inbetween."  It was a hard ride back and as they got close to the town the cow hands took the cattle home and Mary Ann followed them into town.  They were all dusty, dirty, and sweaty but the time they got back.  They rode into town and down the main street where the people came out to stand and watch.