Public images not embedded when file default scheme is private.

The default file scheme for our website is private.

Using simplemail we want to send emails with images embedded that are located in the public folder. The html mail contains:

<img alt="Privacy &amp; Security" src="sites/default/files/image018.png" />

Does not work.

What I finally found out:

mimemail.inc, lines 192, 193:

    $public_path = file_default_scheme() . '://';
    $no_access = !user_access('send arbitrary files');

The user when called by simplemail is anonymous. The public path is "private://". That's wrong. My images are located in the public folder, not in the private one.

Workaround: Change user access so that anonymous can send arbitrary files.