Catcher is a simple sheepherder who's big and strong, strong enough to cripple a man in a fight.  There's bad blood between Catcher a fellow ranch hand who is making advances on the boss's wife.  When Lank is accidentally killed by the boss during a fight, Catcher is blamed.  Catcher was too drunk to know what he did and too afraid of being locked up to risk jail.  The boss gives him enough money to get to Canada and lets him think he was the one who killed Lank.  When Catcher is cornered, the boss finally comes clean.