If the shorts were smart and were adept at running a large portfolio, they would have seen 9 of 10 of their small cap btk/pharma stocks down and this one holding steady via accumulation. At that point you have to say to yourself that "I can't win them all" and just cover and take 9 winners home.
Even with a large holder potentially out, I think short interest will tick up again next posting (after posting a 10k gain last 2 wk period).