Rancher Croom is a volatile cattleman operating a highly isolated homestead on the open Wyoming plains. He possesses an explosive physical energy that he channels into quick-footed dancing, heavy drinking, and wild horseback rides in the dark. Living far removed from civic society and its rules, he exercises absolute authority over his property, particularly regarding a padlocked attic that he fiercely protects.

Mrs. Croom lives an incredibly remote life on a desolate cattle ranch with her unpredictable husband. Confined primarily to her domestic duties and cut off from community support, she endures a formal and restrictive marriage. Despite her outward compliance with her husband's rules, she possesses a practical toughness and a patient determination to uncover the secrets kept behind his padlocks.