public static boolean highlightChar(int count)
    {
        Link l=null;
        for (int i=0; i<linksVector.size();i++)
        {
             l = (Link) linksVector.elementAt(i);
            // if this count lies within the range of any of the indexes in our links
            // we know that the chat must be highlighted back in paintbody
            if (count>=l.startIndex && count <=l.endIndex)
            {
                return true;
            }
            
        }
        return false;
    }