--- a/HierarchicalListView.st	Sat Oct 10 16:53:40 2015 +0200
+++ b/HierarchicalListView.st	Sat Oct 10 16:53:50 2015 +0200
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+"{ Encoding: utf8 }"
+
 "
  COPYRIGHT (c) 1999 by eXept Software AG
 	      All Rights Reserved
@@ -981,9 +983,8 @@
 
     UserPreferences current showDottedLinesInTree ifFalse:[^ self].
 
-    item := list at:start ifAbsent:nil.
-    item isNil ifTrue:[^ nil].
-    
+    item := list at:start ifAbsent:[^ nil ].
+
     self paint:lineColor on:bgColor.
 
     OperatingSystem isMSWINDOWSlike ifTrue:[
@@ -998,12 +999,10 @@
     list from:start to:stop do:[:eachItem|
         self drawVericalLineForElement:eachItem minX:xL maxX:xR.
     ].
-    item notNil ifTrue:[
-        [ (item := item parent) notNil ] whileTrue:[
-            self drawVericalLineForElement:item minX:xL maxX:xR.
-        ].
+    [ (item := item parent) notNil ] whileTrue:[
+        self drawVericalLineForElement:item minX:xL maxX:xR.
     ].
-    
+
     "/ draw all the horizontal lines
     yNext := self yVisibleOfLine:start.