diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b8c8e9cd..7828f4cc 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,3 +3,5 @@ pkg
 .DS_Store
 coverage
 Gemfile.lock
+*.swp
+*.swo
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 07042769..adae0173 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -70,7 +70,12 @@ cli.say("This should be <%= color('bold', BOLD) %>!")
 
 # Menus:
 
+
+HighLine::Menu.use_color    = true            # coloring is off by default
+
 cli.choose do |menu|
+  menu.index_color  = :rgb_999999      # override default color of index
+                                       # you can also use constants like :blue
   menu.prompt = "Please choose your favorite programming language?  "
   menu.choice(:ruby) { cli.say("Good choice!") }
   menu.choices(:python, :perl) { cli.say("Not from around here, are you?") }
diff --git a/lib/highline/menu.rb b/lib/highline/menu.rb
index 1560fdef..47811a2d 100644
--- a/lib/highline/menu.rb
+++ b/lib/highline/menu.rb
@@ -17,6 +17,21 @@ class HighLine
   # to {HighLine#choose} can detail all aspects of menu display and control.
   #
   class Menu < Question
+
+    # The setting used to disable color output.
+    @use_color = true
+
+    # Pass +false+ to _setting_ to turn off HighLine's color escapes.
+    def self.use_color=( setting )
+      @use_color = setting
+    end
+
+    # Returns true if HighLine is currently using color escapes.
+    def self.use_color?
+      @use_color
+    end
+
+
     #
     # Create an instance of HighLine::Menu.  All customization is done
     # through the passed block, which should call accessors, {#choice} and
@@ -53,6 +68,7 @@ def initialize(  )
       @layout          = :list
       @shell           = false
       @nil_on_handled  = false
+      @index_color     = :rgb_77bbff
 
       # Override Questions responses, we'll set our own.
       @responses       = { }
@@ -130,6 +146,11 @@ def initialize(  )
     # Defaults to +false+.
     #
     attr_accessor :nil_on_handled
+    #
+    # The color of the index when displaying the menu. See Style class for 
+    # available colors.
+    #
+    attr_accessor :index_color
 
     #
     # Adds _name_ to the list of available menu items.  Menu items will be
@@ -447,6 +468,14 @@ def value_for_hash_selections(items, selections, details)
       end
     end
 
+    def decorate_index(index)
+        if self.class.use_color?
+            HighLine.color(index, self.index_color)
+        else
+            index
+        end
+    end
+
     #
     # Allows Menu objects to pass as Arrays, for use with HighLine.list().
     # This method returns all menu items to be displayed, complete with
@@ -455,14 +484,14 @@ def value_for_hash_selections(items, selections, details)
     def to_ary(  )
       case @index
       when :number
-        @items.map { |i| "#{@items.index(i) + 1}#{@index_suffix}#{i.text}" }
+        @items.map { |i| decorate_index("#{@items.index(i) + 1}#{@index_suffix}") + "#{i.text}" }
       when :letter
         l_index = "`"
-        @items.map { |i| "#{l_index.succ!}#{@index_suffix}#{i.text}" }
+        @items.map { |i| decorate_index("#{l_index.succ!}#{@index_suffix}") + "#{i.text}" }
       when :none
-        @items.map { |i| "#{i.text}" }
+        @items.map { |i| decorate_index("#{i.text}") }
       else
-        @items.map { |i| "#{index}#{@index_suffix}#{i.text}" }
+        @items.map { |i| decorate_index("#{index}#{@index_suffix}") + "#{i.text}" }
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/highline/version.rb b/lib/highline/version.rb
index d4d55371..b9057818 100644
--- a/lib/highline/version.rb
+++ b/lib/highline/version.rb
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
 
 class HighLine
   # The version of the installed library.
-  VERSION = "2.0.0-develop.6".freeze
+  VERSION = "2.0.0-develop.7".freeze
 end
diff --git a/test/test_menu.rb b/test/test_menu.rb
index f8702455..30cad4f5 100644
--- a/test/test_menu.rb
+++ b/test/test_menu.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ def setup
     @input    = StringIO.new
     @output   = StringIO.new
     @terminal = HighLine.new(@input, @output)
+    HighLine::Menu.use_color = false
   end
 
   def test_choices
@@ -235,6 +236,78 @@ def test_index
     assert_equal("* Sample1\n* Sample2\n* Sample3\n?  ", @output.string)
   end
 
+  def test_index_with_color 
+    index_color = :rgb_77bbff
+    HighLine::Menu.use_color = true
+
+    @input << "Sample1\n"
+    @input.rewind
+
+    @terminal.choose do |menu|
+      # Default:  menu.index = :number
+
+      menu.choice "Sample1"
+      menu.choice "Sample2"
+      menu.choice "Sample3"
+    end
+
+    assert_equal(HighLine.color("1. ", index_color) + "Sample1\n" + 
+                 HighLine.color("2. ", index_color) + "Sample2\n" +
+                 HighLine.color("3. ", index_color) + "Sample3\n" +
+                 "?  ", 
+                 @output.string)
+
+    @output.truncate(@output.rewind)
+    @input.rewind
+
+    @terminal.choose do |menu|
+      menu.index        = :letter
+      menu.index_suffix = ") "
+
+      menu.choice "Sample1"
+      menu.choice "Sample2"
+      menu.choice "Sample3"
+    end
+    
+    assert_equal(HighLine.color("a) ", index_color) + "Sample1\n" +
+                 HighLine.color("b) ", index_color) + "Sample2\n" +
+                 HighLine.color("c) ", index_color) + "Sample3\n?  ", 
+                 @output.string)
+
+    @output.truncate(@output.rewind)
+    @input.rewind
+
+    @terminal.choose do |menu|
+      menu.index = :none
+
+      menu.choice "Sample1"
+      menu.choice "Sample2"
+      menu.choice "Sample3"
+    end
+    
+    assert_equal(HighLine.color("Sample1", index_color) + "\n" + 
+                 HighLine.color("Sample2", index_color) + "\n" +
+                 HighLine.color("Sample3", index_color) + "\n?  ", 
+                 @output.string)
+
+    @output.truncate(@output.rewind)
+    @input.rewind
+
+    @terminal.choose do |menu|
+      menu.index        = "*"
+
+      menu.choice "Sample1"
+      menu.choice "Sample2"
+      menu.choice "Sample3"
+    end
+
+    colored_asterix = HighLine.color("* ", index_color)
+    assert_equal("#{colored_asterix}Sample1\n" +
+                 "#{colored_asterix}Sample2\n" +
+                 "#{colored_asterix}Sample3\n?  ",
+                 @output.string)
+  end
+
   def test_layouts
     @input << "save\n"
     @input.rewind