Why would Baba appear as a Fakir to Appasaheb, especially if it made him suspicious?

According to the analysis provided in Chapter 33, Baba's appearance in the form of a Fakir was a manifestation of his love for Appasaheb and served as a pretext for collecting Dakshina. The text poses the rhetorical question, "had there been no love for Appa, why would Baba come in Fakir form?" This implies that the encounter was a test and an opportunity for Appasaheb to fulfill his word and become free from his self-imposed debt. Even though Appasaheb reacted with suspicion, the event itself was an act of grace, designed to create a story with a moral. It ultimately reinforces the idea that Sai is capable of granting the fruits of devotion to those with undivided faith, using various means to guide them.