No one had seen him.

She then returned and told her mother what had happened.
"You must have fallen asleep and dreamed it," said her mother.
"No, indeed! I was wide awake--I spoke to him, and he gave me no answer, but such a look!" All the afternoon she felt an uneasiness she could not reason herself out of.
The next morning came a messenger from the river Trench with dismal tidings.
The bodies of the young man and his horse had been found drowned a short distance below the ford of the river.
It appeared that, on arriving at the bank of the river, he found it swollen beyond its usual depth by the recent rains.

It being necessary to swim the stream with his horse, he had taken off his clothes and made them into a packet which he fastened upon his shoulders.

It was supposed that the strength of the rapid torrent displaced the bundle, which thus served to draw his head under water and keep it there, without the power of raising it.

All this was gathered from the position and appearance of the bodies when found.
From the time at which he had been seen passing a house which stood near the stream, on his way to the ford, it was evident that he must have met his fate at the very moment his sister saw, or thought she saw him, passing before her.
I could not but suggest the inquiry, when these sad particulars were narrated to me,-- "Mother, is it not possible this might have been a dream ?" "A dream?
No, indeed, my child.