Perhaps Arthur and Moses have already had the fight and Arthur comes home to Martha to recount or something? I mean why would he call Moses "dear", twice? The "disease" and the "hurt within his heart" might be referring to his molestation of Cecillia, their daughter. Perhaps he is admitting the truth to her and if she was already told he "might fall apart". The fight might have been because Johnny Early and Cecillia McCloud were in love and, after she was molested, Cecillia asked Johnny to run away with her, but he refused ,so she ran away with her brothers (the missing McCloud boys). Johnny may have gone to Moses and told him what Arthur had done, hence the confrontation.
Perhaps Arthur and Moses have already had the fight and Arthur comes home to Martha to recount or something? I mean why would he call Moses "dear", twice? The "disease" and the "hurt within his heart" might be referring to his molestation of Cecillia, their daughter. Perhaps he is admitting the truth to her and if she was already told he "might fall apart". The fight might have been because Johnny Early and Cecillia McCloud were in love and, after she was molested, Cecillia asked Johnny to run away with her, but he refused ,so she ran away with her brothers (the missing McCloud boys). Johnny may have gone to Moses and told him what Arthur had done, hence the confrontation.