Can you describe the character of Hari Kanoba before he became a devotee and how Sai Baba perceived his intentions?

The account in Chapter 49 portrays Hari Kanoba from Mumbai as a deep skeptic who came to Shirdi with the specific purpose of testing Sai Baba. He is described as someone who was not devoted to spiritual goals and listened to stories about Sai with a "fault-finding eye." His worldview was such that without direct personal experience, he believed nothing. The text explicitly states his only eligibility was that of a "seeker of miracles." Despite this challenging disposition, the narrative makes it clear that Samarth Sai knew the reason for his visit. Sai was fully aware of his intent and planned to show him a glimpse of His power, thereby skillfully using his own skepticism as the means to make him a complete devotee.