with the sinners; they are
always hoping and never doing. So it was with me, always hoping, and
the Devil always saying, "Don't worry; it will be all right."

I used to dread going home at night and meeting my mother, and when she
would say, "How have you got on to-day?" I was always ready with another
lie, telling her I was doing finely, that the boss said he was going to
give me a raise soon. He had--he had raised me right out of the place!

I was getting deeper and deeper into difficulty and could not see my way
out. Oh! if I had only told my mother the truth, how different my life
might have been! Saturday night was coming, and I did not have any money
to bring home, and I did not know what to do. I thought of everything,
but could not see my way out, when the thought came to me, "Steal!" My
sister was saving up some money to buy a suit, and I knew where she kept
it and determined to get it. That night I entered her room and took all
the money she had saved. No one saw me but God, but the Devil was there
with me, and said, "Isn't it easy? Don't be a coward! God doesn't care."
I knew right down in my heart that He did care, and in after years when
I was wandering all over the States I found out how much He really
cared, and I said, "Praise His name!"

[Illustration: A BACK YARD ON THE BOWERY.]

[Illustration: ONE OF RANNEY'S FORMER HAUNTS.]

CHAPTER III

INTO THE DEPTHS

After I had taken this money from my sister I knew that I was suspected.
I was accused of taking it, but I was getting hardened; I had lost my
job through lying; I was getting tired of home; I didn't care very much
how things went.

About this time my elder sister was married and moved to New York. Her
husband was a mechanic and made good money. He liked me, and when the
theft was discovered I went and put up with him, staying there until I
made money enough to leave, then I got out. All this time I was going
from bad to worse, my associates being thieves and crooks and gamblers.

I shall never forget the first time I was arrested. I was with a
hardened crook, and we had made a haul of some hundred dollars. But as
luck would have it we were caught and sent away for nine months on a
"technicality." If we had received our just dues the lowest term would
have been five years each. I thought my time in prison would never come
to an end, but it did at last, and I was free. But where was I to go? My
mother had moved to New York to be nea