I suppose its possible, I said doubtfully.
Dr Leidner went on with a trace of irritability.
It is all very well for M. Poirot to suspect the members of my expedition.
I am perfectly certain none of them have anything to do with it!
I have worked with them.
I know them!
He stopped suddenly, then he said: Is that your experience, nurse?
That anonymous letters are usually written by women?
It isnt always the case, I said.
But theres a certain type of feminine spitefulness that finds relief that way.
I suppose you are thinking of Mrs Mercado? he said.
Then he shook his head.
Even if she were malicious enough to wish to hurt Louise she would hardly have the necessary knowledge, he said.
I remembered the earlier letters in the attache-case.
If Mrs Leidner had left that unlocked and Mrs Mercado had been alone in the house one day pottering about, she might easily have found them and read them.
Men never seem to think of the simplest possibilities!
And apart from her there is only Miss Johnson, I said, watching him.
That would be quite ridiculous!
The little smile with which he said it was quite conclusive.
The idea of Miss Johnson being the author of the letters had never entered his head!
I hesitated just for a minute but I didnt say anything.
One doesnt like giving away a fellow woman, and besides, I had been a witness of Miss Johnsons genuine and moving remorse.
What was done was done.
Why expose Dr Leidner to a fresh disillusion on top of all his other troubles?
It was arranged that I should leave on the following day, and I had arranged through Dr Reilly to stay for a day or two with the matron of the hospital whilst I made arrangements for returning to England either via Baghdad or direct via Nissibin by car and train.
Dr Leidner was kind enough to say that he would like me to choose a memento from amongst his wifes things.
Oh, no, really, Dr Leidner, I said. I couldnt.
Its much too kind of you.
He insisted.
But I should like you to have something.
And Louise, I am sure, would have wished it.
Then he went on to suggest that I should have her tortoiseshell toilet set!
Oh, no, Dr Leidner!
Why, thats a most expensive set.
I couldnt, really.
She had no sisters, you know no one who wants these things.
There is no one else to have them.
I could quite imagine that he wouldnt want them to fall into Mrs Mercados greedy little hands.
And I didnt think hed want to offer them to Miss Johnson.
He went on kindly: You just think it over.
By the way, here is the key of Louises jewel case.
Perhaps you will find something there you would rather have.
And I should be very grateful if you would pack up all her clothes.
I dare say Reilly can find a use for them amongst some of the poor Christian families in Hassanieh.
I was very glad to be able to do that for him, and I expressed my willingness.
I set about it at once.
Mrs Leidner had only had a very simple wardrobe with her and it was soon sorted and packed up into a couple of suitcases.
All her papers had been in the small attache-case.
The jewel case contained a few simple trinkets a pearl ring, a diamond brooch, a small string of pearls, and one or two plain gold bar brooches of the safety-pin type, and a string of large amber beads.
Naturally I wasnt going to take the pearls or the diamonds, but I hesitated a bit between the amber beads and the toilet set.