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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">As filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 2, 2009.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Registration
No.&#160;333-__________</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">_____________________________________________________________________________________________</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 1pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif">&#160;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 1pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif">&#160;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">UNITED
STATES</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">____________________</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">FORM S-8</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">REGISTRATION
STATEMENT</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">UNDER</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">____________________</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 3pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif">&#160;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 24pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">STAGE STORES,
INC.</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)</font></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">
<tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="38%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="38%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="38%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Nevada</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="38%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">91-1826900</font></div>
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          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="38%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(State
      or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="38%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(I.R.S.
      Employer Identification No.)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="38%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="38%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="38%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">10201
      Main Street, Houston, Texas</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="38%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">77025&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="38%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Address
      of Principal Executive Offices)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="38%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Zip
      Code)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">SHARE
PURCHASE PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES OF STAGE STORES, INC.</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Full
Title of the Plan)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">
<tr>
            <td valign="top" width="40%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Edward
      J. Record</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Executive
      Vice President and Chief Financial Officer</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">10201
      Main Street,</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Houston,
      Texas 77025</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Name
      and Address of Agent For Service)</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(800)&#160;579-2302</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Telephone
      Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service )</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="40%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Copies
      to:</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Philip
      B. Sears, Esq.</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">McAfee
      &amp; Taft, P.C.</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">211
      North Robinson</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Oklahoma
      City, OK 73102</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See
the definitions of &#8220;large accelerated filer,&#8221; &#8220;accelerated filer&#8221; and &#8220;smaller
reporting company&#8221; in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Large accelerated filer <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">&#254;
</font>Accelerated filer <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">o
</font>Non-accelerated filer <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">o
</font>Smaller reporting company <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">o</font></font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Do not
check if a smaller reporting company)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Calculation of
Registration Fee</font></font></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">
<tr>
            <td align="left" colspan="2" valign="bottom" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="31%">&#160;</td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="15%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="16%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="14%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" colspan="16" valign="bottom" width="100%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" colspan="2" valign="bottom" width="32%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="15%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Proposed
      Maximum</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="16%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Proposed
      Maximum</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="14%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" colspan="2" valign="bottom" width="32%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="12%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amount
      To Be</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="15%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Offering
      Price Per</font></div>
            </td>
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td valign="bottom" width="15%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
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      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
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      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" colspan="2" valign="bottom" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="12%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="15%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="16%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" colspan="16" valign="bottom" width="100%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
        </div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="HDR">
        <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right">
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">
<tr>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="75%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="75%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="2%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(1)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="75%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Pursuant
      to Rule&#160;416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this
      Registration Statement shall be deemed to cover an indeterminable number
      of additional shares as may be issued as a result of an adjustment in the
      shares in the event of a stock split, stock dividend, or similar capital
      adjustment.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="75%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="2%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(2)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="75%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Estimated
      solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee pursuant to
      Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Pursuant to
      Rule&#160;457(h), this estimate is based upon the average of the high and
      low prices of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, on September
      28, 2009, as reported on the New York Stock
  Exchange.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 1pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif">&#160;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 1pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif">&#160;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="HDR">
        <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
      </div>
    </div><br>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><a name="toc"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">TABLE OF
CONTENTS</font></a></font></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">
<tr>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="53%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" colspan="9" valign="middle" width="70%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">PART I</font></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" colspan="8" valign="middle" width="68%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Item&#160;1. Plan
    Information</font></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" colspan="8" valign="middle" width="68%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Item&#160;2. Registration Information and Employee
      Plan Annual Information</font></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" colspan="9" valign="middle" width="70%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">PART II</font></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" colspan="8" valign="middle" width="68%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Item&#160;3. Incorporation of Documents by
      Reference</font></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%">&#160;</td>
            <td align="left" colspan="8" valign="middle" width="68%">
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      Claimed</font></font></div>
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Undertakings</font></font></div>
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">SIGNATURES</font></font></div>
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      of&#160;&#160;McAfee &amp; Taft A Professional
  Corporation</font></div>
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          </tr><tr>
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      of Attorney</font></div>
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          </tr><tr>
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Share
      Purchase Plan for Employees of Stage Stores,
  Inc.</font></div>
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</font></div>
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</font></div>
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</font></div>
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I</font></a></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION
10(a) PROSPECTUS</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
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Information.*</font></a></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><a name="002"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Item&#160;2.
Registration Information and Employee Plan Annual
Information.*</font></a></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 3pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif">&#160;</font></div>
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<tr>
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      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="75%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="2%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">*</font></div>
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            <td align="left" valign="top" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
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      required by Part&#160;I of Form S-8 to be contained in a prospectus
      meeting the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 is
      omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule&#160;428
      under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Note to Part&#160;I of Form
      S-8.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><a name="003"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">PART
II</font></a></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><a name="004"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Item&#160;3.
Incorporation of Documents by Reference.</font></a></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
following documents we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
&#8220;Commission&#8221;) (File No. 001-14035) are incorporated in and made a part of this
Registration Statement by reference:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
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<tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="7%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">1.</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="65%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Our
      Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2009,
      filed on March 30, 2009;</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
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<tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="7%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">2.</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="65%">
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      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended May 2, 2009,
      filed on June 5, 2009;</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="7%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="65%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="7%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">3.</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="65%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Our
      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended August 1, 2009,
      filed on September 9, 2009;</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
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<tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="7%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.</font></div>
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            <td align="left" valign="top" width="65%">
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      Current Reports on Form 8-K (excluding any information furnished under
      Items 2.02 or 7.01 thereof) filed February 6, 2009, March 2, 2009, March
      4, 2009, March 6, 2009, March 12, 2009, April 2, 2009, April 14, 2009,
      April 30, 2009, May 8, 2009, May 13, 2009, May 15, 2009, May 20, 2009, May
      22, 2009, June 1, 2009, June 4, 2009, June 5, 2009, June 10, 2009, July 8,
      2009,&#160;&#160;July 10, 2009, August 11, 2009, August 14, 2009, August
      20, 2009, August 24, 2009, August 28, 2009, September 4, 2009, September
      14, 2009 and September 21, 2009.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>All documents filed by us pursuant to
Sections&#160;13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding any
information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report
on Form 8-K) subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to
the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities
offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of those
documents.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Any
statement contained in this Registration Statement or in a document incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall
be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration
Statement to the extent that a statement in this Registration Statement, or in
any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be
incorporated by reference, modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement
so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><a name="005"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Item&#160;4.
Description of Securities.</font></a></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Not applicable.&#160;&#160;Our common
stock has been registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Item&#160;5. Interests of Named
Experts and Counsel.</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Not
applicable.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;</font></div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
        </div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="HDR">
        <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right">
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><a name="007"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Item&#160;6.
Indemnification of Directors and Officers.</font></a></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Nevada
Revised Statures</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Section 78.7502 of the Nevada Revised
Statutes (the &#8220;NRS&#8221;) provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who
was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending
or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative
or investigative, except an action by or in the right of the corporation, by
reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of
the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys&#8217; fees,
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred
by him in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if he is not adjudged
liable to the corporation, if he acted in good faith and in a manner which he
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, if he had
no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. Section 78.7502 further
provides that a corporation similarly may indemnify any such person serving in
any such capacity who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to
any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the
corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is
or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was
serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or
agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise against expenses, including amounts paid in settlement and attorneys&#8217;
fees actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or
settlement of the action or suit if he is not adjudged liable to the
corporation, and if he acted in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Amended
and Restated Bylaws</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>As permitted by the NRS, Article&#160;5
of our Amended and Restated Bylaws provides that so long as he is not adjudged
liable to us we will indemnify any individual made a party to a proceeding
because the individual is or was a director or officer against liability and
expenses incurred in the proceeding, but only if the individual demonstrates
that (a)&#160;he or she conducted himself or herself in good faith, and
(b)&#160;he or she reasonably believed (i) in the case of conduct in his or her
official capacity with us, that his or her conduct was in our best interests,
(ii) in all other cases, that his or her conduct was at least not opposed to our
best interests, and (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding, he or she had
no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Insurance</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>We have purchased director and officer
liability insurance which insures us for amounts which we are required or
permitted to pay as indemnification of directors and certain officers and which
insures directors and certain officers against certain liabilities which might
be incurred by them in those capacities and for which they are not entitled to
indemnification by us.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Item&#160;7. Exemption from
Registration Claimed.</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Not
applicable.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><a name="009"><br>&#160;</a></div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
        </div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="HDR">
        <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right">
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Item&#160;8.
Exhibits.</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">
<tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: -9pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.1</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amended
      and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Stage Stores, Inc. dated June 7,
      2007 are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Stage Stores&#8217;
      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (Commission File No. 1-14035) filed
      September 12, 2007.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: -9pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.2</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amended
      and Restated Bylaws of Stage Stores, Inc. dated March 28, 2007 are
      incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of Stage Stores&#8217; Annual Report on
      Form 10-K (Commission File No, 1-14035) filed April 3,
    2007.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: -9pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.3</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Common Stock Certificate of Stage Stores, Inc. is incorporated by
      reference to Exhibit 4.1 of Stage Stores&#8217; Registration Statement on Form
      10 (Commission File No. 000-21011) filed October 29,
  2001.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: -9pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">5.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;5*</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Opinion
      of McAfee &amp; Taft A Professional Corporation</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: -9pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;23.1*</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Consent
      of Deloitte &amp; Touche LLP</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: -9pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">2&#160;&#160;&#160;23.2*</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Consent
      of McAfee &amp; Taft A Professional Corporation (included as part of
      Exhibit&#160;5)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: -9pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">2&#160;&#160;&#160;24*</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Power
      of Attorney</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="11%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="88%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: -9pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.&#160;&#160;99*</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="88%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Share
      Purchase Plan for Employees of Stage Stores,
  Inc.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">
<tr>
            <td valign="middle" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="middle" width="75%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="2%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">*</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="75%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Filed
      herewith.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><a name="010"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Item&#160;9.
Undertakings.</font></a></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;(a)&#160;The
undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;To
file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;(i)
To include any prospectus required by Section&#160;10(a)(3) of the Securities
Act;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;(ii)
To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective
date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in this Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the
total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum
offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in the
volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum
aggregate offering price set forth in the &#8220;Calculation of Registration Fee&#8221;
table in this Registration Statement; and</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;(iii)
To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to
such information in this Registration Statement;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">Provided, however</font>, that the
undertakings set forth in paragraphs (a)(1)(i)&#160;and (a)(1)(ii)&#160;above do
not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to
the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section&#160;13 or Section 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;That,
for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933,
each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration
statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">bona fide</font> offering
thereof.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;To
remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.</font></div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
        </div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="HDR">
        <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right">
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;(b)&#160;The
undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant&#8217;s
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plan&#8217;s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">bona fide</font>
offering thereof.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
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as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may
be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of
1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.</font></div><br>
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</font></div>
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to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that
it has reasonable grounds to believe it meets all of the requirements for filing
on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Houston,
State of Texas, on this 2nd day of October, 2009.</font></div>
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<tr>
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="50%">
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the
following persons in the capacities and on the date
indicated</font>.</font></div>
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<tr>
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            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">September
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            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
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      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/
      Andrew T. Hall</font></font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">September
      23, 2009</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Andrew
      T. Hall</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/
      John T. Mentzer*</font></font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">September
      23, 2009</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">John
      T. Mentzer</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/
      William J. Montgoris*</font></font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">September
      23, 2009</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">William
      J. Montgoris</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/
      Sharon B. Mosse*</font></font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">September
      23, 2009</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Sharon
      B. Mosse</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/
      James R. Scarborough*</font></font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">September
      23, 2009</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">James
      R. Scarborough</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/
      David Y. Schwartz</font>*</font></font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">September
      23, 2009</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="27%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">David
      Y. Schwartz</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="bottom" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">________________________________________</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">*By Power
of Attorney dated September 23, 2009</font></div><br>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="HDR">
        <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
      </div>
    </div><br>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">EXHIBIT
INDEX</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">
<tr>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="6%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Exhibit</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Number</font></font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="6%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="66%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Description</font></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="66%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="6%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: -9pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.1</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="66%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amended
      and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Stage Stores, Inc. dated June 7,
      2007 are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Stage Stores&#8217;
      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (Commission File No. 1-14035) filed
      September 12, 2007.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="66%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="6%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: -9pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.2</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="66%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amended
      and Restated Bylaws of Stage Stores, Inc. dated March 28, 2007 are
      incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of Stage Stores&#8217; Annual Report on
      Form 10-K (Commission File No, 1-14035) filed April 3,
    2007.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="66%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="6%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 9pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.3</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="66%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Common Stock Certificate of Stage Stores, Inc. is incorporated by
      reference to Exhibit 4.1 of Stage Stores&#8217; Registration Statement on Form
      10 (Commission File No. 000-21011) filed October 29,
  2001.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="66%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="6%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">5*</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="66%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Opinion
      of McAfee &amp; Taft A Professional Corporation</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="66%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="6%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">23.1*</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="66%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Consent
      of Deloitte &amp; Touche LLP</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="66%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td valign="top" width="6%">
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            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="66%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Consent
      of McAfee &amp; Taft A Professional Corporation (included as part of
      Exhibit 5)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td align="left" valign="top" width="66%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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            <td valign="top" width="6%">
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            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
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      of Attorney</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr><tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="6%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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      </font></td>
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      Purchase Plan for Employees of Stage Stores,
  Inc.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
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herewith.</font></div>
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forms8.htm
As filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 2, 2009.
Registration
No. 333-__________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
____________________
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT
UNDER
THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
____________________
STAGE STORES,
INC.
(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Nevada
91-1826900
(State
      or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)
(I.R.S.
      Employer Identification No.)
10201
      Main Street, Houston, Texas
77025
(Address
      of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip
      Code)
SHARE
PURCHASE PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES OF STAGE STORES, INC.
(Full
Title of the Plan)
Edward
      J. Record
Executive
      Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
10201
      Main Street,
Houston,
      Texas 77025
(Name
      and Address of Agent For Service)
(800) 579-2302
(Telephone
      Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service )
Copies
      to:
Philip
      B. Sears, Esq.
McAfee
      & Taft, P.C.
211
      North Robinson
Oklahoma
      City, OK 73102
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See
the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller
reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer
þ
Accelerated filer
o
Non-accelerated filer
o
Smaller reporting company
o
(Do not
check if a smaller reporting company)
Calculation of
Registration Fee
Proposed
      Maximum
Proposed
      Maximum
Amount
      To Be
Offering
      Price Per
Aggregate
      Offering
Amount
      of
Title
      of Securities To Be Registered
Registered
Share
Price
Registration
      Fee
C  Common
      Stock, par value $0.01 per share
100,000
(1)
$13.54
(2)
$1,354,000
(2)
$96.54
(1)
Pursuant
      to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this
      Registration Statement shall be deemed to cover an indeterminable number
      of additional shares as may be issued as a result of an adjustment in the
      shares in the event of a stock split, stock dividend, or similar capital
      adjustment.
(2)
Estimated
      solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee pursuant to
      Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Pursuant to
      Rule 457(h), this estimate is based upon the average of the high and
      low prices of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, on September
      28, 2009, as reported on the New York Stock
  Exchange.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
PART I
Item 1. Plan
    Information
Item 2. Registration Information and Employee
      Plan Annual Information
PART II
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by
      Reference
Item 4. Description of
      Securities
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and
      Counsel
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and
      Officers
Item 7. Exemption from Registration
      Claimed
Item 8. Exhibits
Item 9.
Undertakings
SIGNATURES
Opinion
      of  McAfee & Taft A Professional
  Corporation
Consent
      of Deloitte & Touche LLP
Power
      of Attorney
Share
      Purchase Plan for Employees of Stage Stores,
  Inc.
PART
I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION
10(a) PROSPECTUS
Item 1. Plan
Information.*
Item 2.
Registration Information and Employee Plan Annual
Information.*
*
Information
      required by Part I of Form S-8 to be contained in a prospectus
      meeting the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 is
      omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428
      under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Note to Part I of Form
      S-8.
PART
II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3.
Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
The
following documents we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") (File No. 001-14035) are incorporated in and made a part of this
Registration Statement by reference:
1.
Our
      Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2009,
      filed on March 30, 2009;
2.
Our
      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended May 2, 2009,
      filed on June 5, 2009;
3.
Our
      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended August 1, 2009,
      filed on September 9, 2009;
4.
Our
      Current Reports on Form 8-K (excluding any information furnished under
      Items 2.02 or 7.01 thereof) filed February 6, 2009, March 2, 2009, March
      4, 2009, March 6, 2009, March 12, 2009, April 2, 2009, April 14, 2009,
      April 30, 2009, May 8, 2009, May 13, 2009, May 15, 2009, May 20, 2009, May
      22, 2009, June 1, 2009, June 4, 2009, June 5, 2009, June 10, 2009, July 8,
      2009,  July 10, 2009, August 11, 2009, August 14, 2009, August
      20, 2009, August 24, 2009, August 28, 2009, September 4, 2009, September
      14, 2009 and September 21, 2009.
All documents filed by us pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding any
information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report
on Form 8-K) subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to
the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities
offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of those
documents.
Any
statement contained in this Registration Statement or in a document incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall
be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration
Statement to the extent that a statement in this Registration Statement, or in
any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be
incorporated by reference, modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement
so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
Item 4.
Description of Securities.
Not applicable.  Our common
stock has been registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
Item 5. Interests of Named
Experts and Counsel.
Not
applicable.
Item 6.
Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Nevada
Revised Statures
Section 78.7502 of the Nevada Revised
Statutes (the "NRS") provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who
was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending
or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative
or investigative, except an action by or in the right of the corporation, by
reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of
the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys' fees,
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred
by him in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if he is not adjudged
liable to the corporation, if he acted in good faith and in a manner which he
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, if he had
no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. Section 78.7502 further
provides that a corporation similarly may indemnify any such person serving in
any such capacity who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to
any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the
corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is
or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was
serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or
agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise against expenses, including amounts paid in settlement and attorneys'
fees actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or
settlement of the action or suit if he is not adjudged liable to the
corporation, and if he acted in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation.
Amended
and Restated Bylaws
As permitted by the NRS, Article 5
of our Amended and Restated Bylaws provides that so long as he is not adjudged
liable to us we will indemnify any individual made a party to a proceeding
because the individual is or was a director or officer against liability and
expenses incurred in the proceeding, but only if the individual demonstrates
that (a) he or she conducted himself or herself in good faith, and
(b) he or she reasonably believed (i) in the case of conduct in his or her
official capacity with us, that his or her conduct was in our best interests,
(ii) in all other cases, that his or her conduct was at least not opposed to our
best interests, and (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding, he or she had
no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.
Insurance
We have purchased director and officer
liability insurance which insures us for amounts which we are required or
permitted to pay as indemnification of directors and certain officers and which
insures directors and certain officers against certain liabilities which might
be incurred by them in those capacities and for which they are not entitled to
indemnification by us.
Item 7. Exemption from
Registration Claimed.
Not
applicable.
Item 8.
Exhibits.
4.    4.1
Amended
      and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Stage Stores, Inc. dated June 7,
      2007 are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Stage Stores'
      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (Commission File No. 1-14035) filed
      September 12, 2007.
4.    4.2
Amended
      and Restated Bylaws of Stage Stores, Inc. dated March 28, 2007 are
      incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of Stage Stores' Annual Report on
      Form 10-K (Commission File No, 1-14035) filed April 3,
    2007.
4.    4.3
Form
      of Common Stock Certificate of Stage Stores, Inc. is incorporated by
      reference to Exhibit 4.1 of Stage Stores' Registration Statement on Form
      10 (Commission File No. 000-21011) filed October 29,
  2001.
5.    5*
Opinion
      of McAfee & Taft A Professional Corporation
23.1*
Consent
      of Deloitte & Touche LLP
2   23.2*
Consent
      of McAfee & Taft A Professional Corporation (included as part of
      Exhibit 5)
2   24*
Power
      of Attorney
4.  99*
Share
      Purchase Plan for Employees of Stage Stores,
  Inc.
*
Filed
      herewith.
Item 9.
Undertakings.
(a) The
undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
1. To
file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
(i)
To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities
Act;
(ii)
To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective
date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in this Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the
total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum
offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in the
volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum
aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee"
table in this Registration Statement; and
(iii)
To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to
such information in this Registration Statement;
Provided, however
, that the
undertakings set forth in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do
not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to
the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement.
2. That,
for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933,
each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration
statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide
offering
thereof.
3. To
remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.
(b) The
undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant's
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial
bona fide
offering thereof.
(c) Insofar
as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may
be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of
1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that
it has reasonable grounds to believe it meets all of the requirements for filing
on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Houston,
State of Texas, on this 2nd day of October, 2009.
STAGE
      STORES, INC.
By:
/s/
      Andrew T. Hall
Andrew
      T. Hall
Chief
      Executive Officer
(Principal
      Executive Officer)
STAGE
      STORES, INC.
By:
/s/
      Edward J. Record
Edward
      J. Record
Executive
      Vice President and Chief  Financial
Officer
(Principal
      Financial Officer)
STAGE
      STORES, INC.
By:
/s/
      Richard E. Stasyszen
Richard
      E. Stasyszen
Senior
      Vice President, Finance and Controller
(Principal
      Accounting Officer)
Pursuant to the requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the
following persons in the capacities and on the date
indicated
.
Signature
Title
Date
/s/
      Alan J. Barocas
*
Director
September
      23, 2009
Alan
      J. Barocas
/s/
      Michael L. Glazer*
Director
September
      23, 2009
Michael
      L. Glazer
/s/
      Andrew T. Hall
Director
September
      23, 2009
Andrew
      T. Hall
/s/
      John T. Mentzer*
Director
September
      23, 2009
John
      T. Mentzer
/s/
      William J. Montgoris*
Director
September
      23, 2009
William
      J. Montgoris
/s/
      Sharon B. Mosse*
Director
September
      23, 2009
Sharon
      B. Mosse
/s/
      James R. Scarborough*
Director
September
      23, 2009
James
      R. Scarborough
/s/
      David Y. Schwartz
*
Director
September
      23, 2009
David
      Y. Schwartz
________________________________________
*By Power
of Attorney dated September 23, 2009
EXHIBIT
INDEX
Exhibit
Number
Description
4.1
Amended
      and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Stage Stores, Inc. dated June 7,
      2007 are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Stage Stores'
      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (Commission File No. 1-14035) filed
      September 12, 2007.
4.2
Amended
      and Restated Bylaws of Stage Stores, Inc. dated March 28, 2007 are
      incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of Stage Stores' Annual Report on
      Form 10-K (Commission File No, 1-14035) filed April 3,
    2007.
4.3
Form
      of Common Stock Certificate of Stage Stores, Inc. is incorporated by
      reference to Exhibit 4.1 of Stage Stores' Registration Statement on Form
      10 (Commission File No. 000-21011) filed October 29,
  2001.
5*
Opinion
      of McAfee & Taft A Professional Corporation
23.1*
Consent
      of Deloitte & Touche LLP
23.2*
Consent
      of McAfee & Taft A Professional Corporation (included as part of
      Exhibit 5)
24*
Power
      of Attorney
99*
Share
      Purchase Plan for Employees of Stage Stores,
  Inc.
*    Filed
herewith.