diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f5fbd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+slimfastq
+=========
+
+A very efficient lossless compression for fastq files. 
+
+Usage
+-----
+
+<pre>
+% slimfastq *fastq-file* *new-sfq-file*   : compress *fastq-file* to *new-sfq-file* 
+% slimfastq *sfq-file*                    : decompress *sfq-file* to stdout
+% slimfastq -h                            : get help
+</pre>
diff --git a/coder.hpp b/coder.hpp
index 3e66eeb..eb7c5ff 100644
--- a/coder.hpp
+++ b/coder.hpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class RCoder {
     enum { TOP =(1ULL<<24) };
     UINT64 low;
     UINT64 code;
-    UINT32  range;
+    UINT32 range;
 
     FilerLoad* m_in;
     FilerSave* m_out;
diff --git a/qlts.cpp b/qlts.cpp
index 122f6e7..da9b429 100644
--- a/qlts.cpp
+++ b/qlts.cpp
@@ -85,14 +85,13 @@ void QltSave::save_2(const UCHAR* buf, size_t size) {
     for (const UCHAR* p = buf ; p < buf + size; p++) {
         UCHAR b = UCHAR(*p-'!');
 
-        rarely_if(b >= LAST_QLT) {
+        PREFETCH(ranger + last);
+        likely_if(b < LAST_QLT)
+            ranger[last].put(&rcoder, b);
+        else {
             ranger[last].put(&rcoder, LAST_QLT);
             exranger.put(&rcoder, b);
-            continue;
         }
-
-        PREFETCH(ranger + last);
-        ranger[last].put(&rcoder, b);
         last = calc_last_2(last, b); 
     }
 }
@@ -106,15 +105,14 @@ void QltSave::save_3(const UCHAR* buf, size_t size) {
     for (const UCHAR* p = buf ; p < buf + size; p++) {
         UCHAR b = UCHAR(*p-'!');
 
-        rarely_if(b >= LAST_QLT) {
+        PREFETCH(ranger + last);
+        likely_if(b < LAST_QLT)
+            ranger[last].put(&rcoder, b);
+        else {
             ranger[last].put(&rcoder, LAST_QLT);
             exranger.put(&rcoder, b);
-            continue;
         }
 
-        PREFETCH(ranger + last);
-        ranger[last].put(&rcoder, b);
-
         if (++ di & 1) {
             last = calc_last_delta(delta, b, q1, q2);
             q2 = b;
@@ -176,13 +174,12 @@ UINT32 QltLoad::load_2(UCHAR* buf, const size_t size) {
         PREFETCH(ranger + last);
         UCHAR b = ranger[last].get(&rcoder);
 
-        rarely_if(b == LAST_QLT) {
+        likely_if(b < LAST_QLT)
+            *p = UCHAR('!' + b);
+        else {
             b = exranger.get(&rcoder);
             *p = UCHAR('!' + b);
-            continue;
         }
-
-        *p = UCHAR('!' + b);
         last = calc_last_2(last, b);
     }
     return m_valid ? size : 0;
@@ -199,12 +196,12 @@ UINT32 QltLoad::load_3(UCHAR* buf, const size_t size) {
         PREFETCH(ranger + last);
         UCHAR b = ranger[last].get(&rcoder);
 
-        rarely_if(b == LAST_QLT) {
+        likely_if(b < LAST_QLT)
+            *p = UCHAR('!' + b);
+        else {
             b = exranger.get(&rcoder);
             *p = UCHAR('!' + b);
-            continue;
         }
-
         *p = UCHAR('!' + b);
 
         if (++di & 1) {